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the rolling stones
Start Me Up Lyrics


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If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop

If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop
I've been running hot
You got me ticking gonna blow my top
If you start me up, if you start me up
I'll never stop, never stop, never stop, never stop




You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk smooth ride in a mean, mean machine
Start it up

If you start it up
Kick on the starter, give it all you've got
(You got, you got)
I can't compete
With the riders in the other heats
If you rough it up
If you like it you can slide it up, slide it up
Slide it up, slide it up
Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
My eyes dilate, my lips go green
My hands are greasy, she's a mean, mean machine
Start it up

Start me up
Ah, you've got to, you've got to
Never, never, never stop
Start it up
Ah, start it up, never, never, never
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Ride like the wind, at double speed
I'll take you places that you've never, never seen

You start it up
Love the day when we will never stop
Never stop, never, never, never stop
Tough me up
Never stop, never stop
You, you, you make a grown man cry
You, you make a dead man cum
You, you, you make a dead man cum

Overall Meaning

"Start Me Up" is a rock song by the Rolling Stones that was released in 1981. The song begins with the catchy hook that repeats throughout the song, "If you start me up, if you start me up, I'll never stop." The lyrics are about a woman who has gotten the singer's engine revved up and ready to go, and he's ready to take off with her. The song is full of sexual innuendos, with references to oil, grease, and riding fast in a "mean machine." The overall theme of the song is desire and passion, and the singer is urging the object of his desire to keep revving him up.


The chorus, "You make a grown man cry," is an interesting line because it has multiple meanings. It could be interpreted as the woman making the man cry in a good way, as in tears of joy, or in a bad way, as in tears of frustration. The line, "You make a grown man cry, you make a dead man cum," is especially controversial and has been criticized for being vulgar.


Overall, "Start Me Up" is a classic rock song that captures the high energy and sexual tension of the Rolling Stones' music.


Line by Line Meaning

If you start me up
Please give me the kick I need to get going


If you start me up I'll never stop
Once you get me going, I'll keep going and going


I've been running hot
I'm ready to go and full of energy


You got me ticking gonna blow my top
You've got me so excited that I might explode with energy


You make a grown man cry
You have such an amazing effect on me that I can't help but cry tears of joy and excitement


Spread out the oil, the gasoline
Prepare our vehicle for an amazing ride


I walk smooth ride in a mean, mean machine
I ride in style in my powerful vehicle


Kick on the starter, give it all you've got
Start the engine with all your might


I can't compete with the riders in the other heats
I am so focused on our ride that I can't be distracted by anyone else


If you rough it up, if you like it you can slide it up, slide it up
Let's make things more exciting by increasing our speed or intensity


My eyes dilate, my lips go green, my hands are greasy, she's a mean, mean machine
I am completely consumed by our ride and the power of our vehicle


Start me up, ah, you've got to, you've got to
Please give me the kick I need to get going, you have to do it


Never, never, never stop
We're having too much fun to ever stop


Ride like the wind, at double speed
Let's ride fast and wild, like the wind


I'll take you places that you've never, never seen
Our ride together will be unlike anything you've ever experienced


Love the day when we will never stop
I can't wait for the day when we can ride together forever without ever stopping


Tough me up, never stop, never stop
Make me stronger and keep our ride going forever


You, you, you make a grown man cry
You have a powerful and exhilarating effect on me


You, you make a dead man cum
You have an incredible and mind-blowing effect on me




Contributed by Matthew E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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