Big Bam Boom by Robbie Rapids is a song that revels in the beginnings of glam rock with a clear affection for it. The lyrics of the song celebrate the 1970s as a period of defiant change when music was dangerous, bright, and completely free. Rapids explains this period as a shock to the system where sound, style, and attitude came together at the same time.

The essential difference between the two songs is that while “Sound of the City” captures the ethos of rock as a whole, “Big Bam Boom” goes further into glam rock as a particular genre. The similarities between the two songs lie in their focus on rock as a genre of sound where, as the lyrics of “Sound of the City” correctly suggest, it is impossible to be a rock star without being rebellious.

The language remains easy and straightforward, making the message clear and effective. “Rapids” makes it easy to understand how music, youth, speed, and rebellion connect, illustrating how glam rock provided a home for youth, which gave them something in common. “Kids” have something in common in terms of their musical and visual style, and it suggests that this was more than music; it was something more than that, something bigger than life.

David Bowie and T. Rex are dealt with in a warm and enthusiastic manner. Rapids do not regard them as distant figures, as they are supposed to be, and instead see them as a mere spark that ignited a passion and a movement of rock and roll music that is a blend of art and attitude and rock and roll at its best. The lyrics of “Rapids” explain this very effectively.

There is a very definite generation conflict expressed in the lyrics. Rapids describes a clash between the misunderstandings of the music among parents and critics, and the shock and thrill of the music among young people. This reflects the challenge of glam rock to rules and taste, and it is expressed in the fact that the music was vindicated through time.

The chorus-like refrain at the center of the track functions like a chant. In the lyrics of the track, this represents the impact, the noise, the joy of a moment that bursts forth into life. Rapids employs the use of repetition to show how the legacy of glam rock continues living on even after many years. 

In summary, the words on “Big Bam Boom” come across as proud words, words of joy, words of gratitude. Rapids embodies glam rock as a spirit that just isn’t going away, conveying that with the passage of time comes a transformation in musical trends, yet the pulse that glam rock has is loud and strong.