When it smiles at me
And I saw your eyes
All I ever wanted to be
Was in you arms tonight
You looked too young
To know what looks so nice, yes you did
But when you smiled I had to take the chance
Had to take the chance

Tonight, I'll be with you tonight
Tonight, I'll love you through the night
Tonight
Tonight, I'm in love with you baby
Tonight, tonight
Tonight, come on, come on

I don't know myself, baby if it's all alright
All I ever wanted to feel, be with me tonight
Looks too young to know what looks so nice
Yes you did
But when you smiled I had to take the chance
Had to take the chance
To be with you tonight
I'll be with you tonight
Tonight, I'll love you through the night
Tonight
Tonight, I'm in love with you baby
Tonight, tonight
Tonight, be mine tonight

You look so young
To know what looks so nice
But when you smiled I had to take the chance
Had to take the chance
To be with you tonight
I'll be with you tonight
Tonight, I'll love you through the night
Tonight
Tonight, I'm in love with you baby
Tonight, tonight
Tonight, be mine tonight
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Be mine tonight

Be mine tonight...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mötley Crüe's song Tonight, although simple and straightforward, convey a deep yearning for love and passion. The singer expresses their desire to be with their love interest, who seems too young and innocent to understand what they want, but that doesn't stop them from taking a chance on love. The repeated phrase "Tonight" emphasizes the urgency and immediacy of their desire to be with this person, and the repetition of "be with me tonight" and "be mine tonight" further reinforces the singer's desperation for physical and emotional connection.

The lyrics also highlight the singer's uncertainty and insecurity, as they question themselves and their actions, wondering if everything is alright and if their feelings are reciprocated. However, their overwhelming desire for love and intimacy seems to eclipse any doubts or reservations they may have, as they take a leap of faith and pursue what they want.

Overall, Tonight is a poignant and passionate expression of longing and desire, capturing the intensity and urgency of teenage infatuation and first love.

Line by Line Meaning

When it smiles at me
When you smiled at me

And I saw your eyes
And I looked into your eyes

All I ever wanted to be
All I've ever wanted to be

Was in your arms tonight
Was to be held by you tonight

You looked too young
You looked very young

To know what looks so nice, yes you did
To understand what's attractive, but that's understandable given your age

But when you smiled I had to take the chance
But your smile convinced me to take a risk

Had to take the chance
I just had to take the chance

Tonight, I'll be with you tonight
Tonight, I'll finally be with you

Tonight, I'll love you through the night
Tonight, I'll love you all night long

Tonight
Tonight