Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson had a hit, a Grammy, and critical success, yet he still didn'… Read Full Bio ↴Harry Nilsson had a hit, a Grammy, and critical success, yet he still didn't have a genuine blockbuster to his name when it came time to finally deliver a full-fledged follow-up to Nilsson Sings Newman, so he decided it was time to make that unabashed, mainstream pop/rock album. Hiring Barbra Streisand producer Richard Perry as a collaborator, Nilsson made a streamlined, slightly domesticated, unashamed set of mature pop/rock, with a slight twist. This is an album, after all, that begins by pining for the reckless days of youth, then segues into a snapshot of suburban disconnectedness before winding through a salute to and covers of old R&B tunes ("Early in the Morning" and "Let the Good Times Roll," respectively), druggie humor ("Coconut"), and surging hard rock ("Jump Into the Fire"). There are certainly hints of the Nilsson of old, particularly in his fondness for Tin Pan Alley and McCartney melodicism -- as well as his impish wit -- yet he hadn't made a record as cohesive as this since his first time out, nor had he ever made something as shiny and appealing as this. It may be more accessible than before, yet it's anchored by his mischievous humor and wonderful idiosyncrasies. Chances are that those lured in by the grandly melodramatic "Without You" will not be prepared for either the subtle charms of "The Moonbeam Song" or the off-kilter sensibility that makes even his breeziest pop slightly strange. In short, it's a near-perfect summary of everything Nilsson could do; he could be craftier and stranger, but never did he achieve the perfect balance as he did here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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Gotta Get Up
Harry Nilsson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Gotta get up, gotta get out
Gotta get home before the mornin' comes
What if I'm late, got a big day
Gotta get home before the sun comes up

Up and away, got a big day
Sorry, can't stay, I gotta run, run, yeah
Gotta get home, pick up the phone
Gotta let the people know I'm gonna be late

There was a time when we could dance until a quarter to ten
We never thought it would end then
We never thought it would end
We used to carry on and drink and do the rock and roll
We never thought we'd get older
We never thought it'd grow cold, but now

Gotta get up, gotta get out
Gotta get home before the mornin' comes
What if I'm late? Got a big day
Gotta get home before the sun comes up
Up and away, got a big day
Sorry can't stay, I gotta run, run, yeah
Gotta get home, pick up the phone
Gotta let the people know I'm gonna be late

Down by the sea, she knew a sailor who had been to war
She never even knew a sailor before
She never even knew his name
He'd come to town and he would pound her for a couple of days
And then he'd sail across the bubbling waves
And those were happier days, but now

Gotta get up, gotta get out
Gotta get home before the mornin' comes
What if I'm late? Got a big day
Gotta get home before the sun comes up
Up and away, got a big day
Sorry can't stay, I gotta run, run yeah
Gotta get home, pick up the phone
Gotta let the people know I'm gonna be late

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Harry Nilsson's song "Gotta Get Up" are an expression of human life and time. The song speaks of the urgency of departing from a good time, carrying out responsibilities and making it back home before it's too late. The song has two clear parts where the first half is about the responsibilities of life while the second half reminisces about happier days.


The first verse sets the tone of the song by highlighting the need to be responsible and punctual. The singer is concerned about time and missing out on an important event. The second verse describes the past where the singer could dance and have fun until late, but now the singer faces the possibility of growing old and missing out on the same experiences.


The chorus highlights the urgency of leaving and the need to inform those left behind of their late arrival. The second verse, however, takes a darker turn as the lyrics describe a woman who had fleeting love with a sailor, but never knew his name. The contrast between this and the upbeat chorus heightens the tension in the song.


Nilsson's song speaks to anyone who has felt the weight of adult responsibilities but longs for the carefree days of youth. The music video for "Gotta Get Up" was directed by John Lennon's secret art project, "Bag One," giving the song a sense of authenticity and appeal.


Line by Line Meaning

Gotta get up, gotta get out
I need to leave and head home


Gotta get home before the mornin' comes
I have to be home before the morning starts


What if I'm late, got a big day
I have a lot to do; can't afford to be late


Gotta get home before the sun comes up
I can't be out when the sun rises


Up and away, got a big day
It's time for me to leave, I have an important day ahead


Sorry, can't stay, I gotta run, run, yeah
I can't stay; I have to go quickly


Gotta get home, pick up the phone
I need to be home and inform people that I'll be late


Gotta let the people know I'm gonna be late
I need to inform others that I'll be late


There was a time when we could dance until a quarter to ten
We used to enjoy spending time together until late evening


We never thought it would end then
We were naive to think that the good times would never end


We used to carry on and drink and do the rock and roll
We used to party and drink and listen to music


We never thought we'd get older
We never anticipated growing old


We never thought it'd grow cold, but now
We didn't expect things to be so different now


Down by the sea, she knew a sailor who had been to war
She used to know a soldier who had fought in a war


She never even knew a sailor before
It was the first time she had met a soldier-turned-sailor


She never even knew his name
She didn't know the name of the soldier-turned-sailor


He'd come to town and he would pound her for a couple of days
He would visit her and they would spend a couple of days together


And then he'd sail across the bubbling waves
He would leave after a few days


And those were happier days, but now
Those days were happier, but things have changed now




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Nilsson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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