Uptight
▲Imagine Dragons Lyrics
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They will miss you when this trends
I get so uptight, I get so uptight
I get so uptight, I get so uptight
Sit tight green light everybody's out at night, go
Why don't you beeline, outshine, everybody blow your mind, go
Why don't you see what they're saying, it's crazy, I've seen it
When the current drags me in (when the current drags me in)
Leave me to the hands of men (leave me to the hands of men)
I get so uptight, I get so uptight
I get so uptight, I get so uptight
Sit tight green light everybody's out at night, go
Why don't you beeline, outshine, everybody blow your mind, go
Why don't you see what they're saying, it's crazy, I've seen it
Those things they believe in, they get hazy, I think I mean it
Sit tight green light everybody's out at night, go
Why don't you beeline, outshine, everybody blow your mind, go
Why don't you see what they're saying, it's crazy, I've seen it
Those things they believe in, they get hazy, I think I mean it
The lyrics of "Uptight" by Imagine Dragons capture the feeling of being overwhelmed and tense, with the singer experiencing a dizzying array of emotions as they navigate a confusing and chaotic world. The repeated refrain of "I get so uptight" underscores this sense of unease and anxiety, while the verses showcase the singer's attempts to make sense of their surroundings.
The song opens with a directive to "say goodbye to all your friends" as the singer warns that they will be missed when this trend fades away. This sets the tone for a track that centers on the transitory nature of modern life and the rapid pace of change that can leave one feeling disoriented and disconnected. Throughout the song, the singer seems to be searching for a way to find meaning and stability amidst this chaos, struggling to keep their head above water as the "current drags" them in.
Despite these dark themes, the track is underscored by an upbeat, propulsive rhythm that keeps pushing the listener forward. The repeated commands to "sit tight" and "go" are invitations to join in this dizzying ride, to embrace the uncertainty and not worry too much about the consequences. Ultimately, the song seems to be a celebration of life and all its messiness, a tribute to the human spirit's ability to survive and thrive even in the most challenging circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Say goodbye to all your friends
Bid farewell to your acquaintances
They will miss you when this trends
Your companions will feel your absence when this phase passes
I get so uptight, I get so uptight
I feel anxious and stressed
Sit tight green light everybody's out at night, go
Stay put, the green light allows everyone to move out at night. Proceed on your own path
Why don't you beeline, outshine, everybody blow your mind, go
Why don't you run straight ahead, surpass everyone and impress them?
Why don't you see what they're saying, it's crazy, I've seen it
Why don't you pay heed to their views, it's insane but I comprehended it
Those things they believe in, they get hazy, I think I mean it
The things they hold as sacrosanct become bewildering; I think I understand
When the current drags me in (when the current drags me in)
When I'm pulled into the flow (when I'm pulled into the flow)
Leave me to the hands of men (leave me to the hands of men)
Abandon me to fate (abandon me to fate)
Sit tight green light everybody's out at night, go
Stay put, the green light allows everyone to move out at night. Proceed on your own path
Why don't you beeline, outshine, everybody blow your mind, go
Why don't you run straight ahead, surpass everyone and impress them?
Why don't you see what they're saying, it's crazy, I've seen it
Why don't you pay heed to their views, it's insane but I comprehended it
Those things they believe in, they get hazy, I think I mean it
The things they hold as sacrosanct become bewildering; I think I understand
Sit tight green light everybody's out at night, go
Stay put, the green light allows everyone to move out at night. Proceed on your own path
Why don't you beeline, outshine, everybody blow your mind, go
Why don't you run straight ahead, surpass everyone and impress them?
Why don't you see what they're saying, it's crazy, I've seen it
Why don't you pay heed to their views, it's insane but I comprehended it
Those things they believe in, they get hazy, I think I mean it
The things they hold as sacrosanct become bewildering; I think I understand
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HENRY COSBY, STEVIE WONDER, SYLVIA MOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tarantulisimo
Stevie Wonder - vocals, keyboards
James Jamerson - bass
Benny Benjamin - drums
The Andantes - backing vocals
Lynda Laurence - background vocals
Pat Lewis - backing vocals
The Funk Brothers - instrumentation
Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy, Henry Cosby - songwriters
Mickey Stevenson, Henry Cosby - producers
Twice
Baby, ev'rything is all right, uptight, out of sight
Baby, ev'rything is all right, uptight, out of sight
I'm a poor man's son, from across the railroad tracks
The only shirt I own is hangin' on my back
But I'm the envy of ev'ry single guy
Since I'm the apple of my girl's eye
When we go out stepping on the town for a while
My money's low and my suit's out of style
But it's all right if my clothes aren't new
Out of sight because my heart is true
She says baby ev'rything is alright, uptight, out of sight
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight
She's a pearl of a girl, I guess that's what you might say
I guess her folks brought her up that way
The right side of the tracks, she was born and raised
In a great big old house, full of butlers and maids
She says no one is better than I, I know I'm just an average guy
No football hero or smooth Don Juan
Got empty pockets, you see I'm a poor man's son
Can't give her the things that money can buy
But I'll never, never, never make my baby cry
And it's all right, what I can't do
Out of sight because my heart is true
She says baby ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, ha ha ha ha, yeah
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, way out of sight
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight
Bukki
Baby, everything is all right, uptight, out of sight
Baby, everything is all right, uptight, out of sight
I'm a poor man's son, from across the railroad tracks
Only shirt I own is hanging on my back
But I'm the envy of every single guy
Since I'm the apple of my girl's eye
When we go out stepping on the town for a while
My money's low and my suit's out of style
But it's all right if my clothes aren't new
Out of sight because my heart is true
She says, baby everything is alright, uptight, out of sight
Baby, everything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight
She's a pearl of a girl, I guess that's what you might say
I guess her folks brought her up that way
The right side of the tracks, she was born and raised
In a great big old house, full of butlers and maids
She says no one is better than I, I know I'm just an average guy
No football hero or smooth Don Juan
Got empty pockets, you see I'm a poor man's son
Can't give her the things that money can't buy
But I'll never, never make my baby cry
And it's all right, what I can't do
Out of sight because my heart is true
She says, baby everything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight
Baby, everything is all right, uptight, clean out of sight
Baby, everything is all right, uptight, hahahahaha, yeah
Baby, everything is all right, uptight, way out of sight
Baby, everything is all right, uptight-
Marilyn
Stevie is literally the Eighth (8th) Wonder of the world! His musicianship is out of this world!😃
AintThat SomeShit
He was only 16 years old when this was released. Unbelievable talent.
Carolita Ornelas
He sure is it's God Given Gift which is only given to a chosen few.
Eric Bohlman
15 when he recorded it.
tommyt1971
An incredible natural talent. Became even better in the 70s.
doitall36
I think he was 15
Brutha Dnubian
@doitall36 You're correct he was 15 in late 65 when it was released.
stretch54
Some of the coolest lyrics ever written for a popular song.
The single was a watershed in Wonder's career for several reasons. Aside from the number-one hit "Fingertips", only two of Wonder's singles had reached the Top 40 of Billboard's Pop Singles chart, ("Workout, Stevie Workout" reached #33 in late 1963 and "Hey Harmonica Man" reached #29 Pop in the Summer of 1964) and the fifteen-year-old artist was in danger of being let go. In addition, Wonder's voice had begun to change, and Motown CEO Berry Gordy was worried that he would no longer be a commercially viable artist.
As it turned out, however, producer Clarence Paul found it easier to work with Wonder's now-mature tenor voice, and Sylvia Moy and Henry Cosby set about writing a new song for the artist, based upon an instrumental riff Wonder had devised.[5] Nelson George, in Where Did Our Love Go? The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound, recorded that Wonder had also sought something based on the driving beat of the Rolling Stones's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," after playing several dates with the Stones on tour and being impressed with the British band. As Wonder presented his ideas, finished or not, "he went through everything," remembered Moy. "I asked, 'Are you sure you don't have anything else?' He started singing and playing 'Everything is alright, uptight.' That was as much as he had. I said, 'That's it. Let's work with that.'"[6] The resulting song, "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", features lyrics which depict a poor young man's appreciation for a rich girl's seeing beyond his poverty to his true worth.
On the day of the recording, Moy had completed the lyrics, but didn't have them in Braille for Wonder to read, and so sang the song to him as he was recording it. She sang a line ahead of him, and he simply repeated the lines as he heard them. In 2008, Moy commented that "he never missed a beat" during the recording
William Paul Beau Gruendler
Excellent comment. Thanks a million!
I Mar
Thanks for this. Listened to this song a thousand times since release and never paid attention to the meaning until now.