Heartbeat City
Cars The Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh Heartbeat City here we come
And happy days count on thumbs
And nothin' really gets us down
As long as Jacki's back in town

I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (oh Jacki)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
(Heartbeat city)

The noise electric
Never stops
And all you need
Is what you got
And there's a place for everyone
Under Heartbeat City's golden sun

(Jacki)
Oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way

Oh, yeah yeah yeah

You know, I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
I missed you so badly
When you jumped that train

(Oh Jacki) oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
(Thought you knew the way)
I thought you blew away

(Heartbeat City)
Oh Heartbeat City
Lights at night
(Heartbeat City)
It's getting closer
Out of sight
(Heartbeat City)
Heartbeat City's on the loose
(Heartbeat City)
Better catch
The blue caboose
Oh, huh, Heartbeat City
It's my life
(Heartbeat city)




(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)

Overall Meaning

"Heartbeat City" by The Cars is a song about a town that is thriving with an electric energy, where no one is down because of the pulsating rhythm of the place, and where everyone is excited to be living their lives in that city. The song seems to be centered around a woman named Jacki who has been away, alone on holiday, and has just returned. The song welcomes her back to Heartbeat City, where the electric noise never stops, and everyone is happy to have her back. The town is bustling, and everyone is content with what they have, as it seems they have all they need in Heartbeat City.


At the heart of the song is the sense of community that exists in Heartbeat City. The singer talks about how everyone has found their place in the city and under its golden sun, and the excitement that bubbles up from the pulsating rhythm of the place. There is clearly a sense of joy and belonging that the city provides, and everyone is happy to be there. The chorus of the song, in particular, is infused with an infectious energy that is hard to resist.


Overall, "Heartbeat City" is a song about a vibrant and pulsating city where everyone seems to be happy and content. It is a song that celebrates the sense of community that exists in such places, where people are bound together by the electric rhythm of the city and their shared experiences.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh Heartbeat City here we come
We're excited to be going to Heartbeat City


And happy days count on thumbs
We're having a great time and we're counting on it to continue


And nothin' really gets us down
We're in a good mood and nothing can bring us down


As long as Jacki's back in town
We're even happier now that our friend Jacki is back in town


I'm glad you made it
We're happy that Jacki made it back to town


I can't complain
We have nothing to complain about


Oh Jacki (Jacki)
We're addressing our friend Jacki


What took you so long
We're curious about why it took Jacki so long to come back


On just a holiday
We're wondering if Jacki was just on vacation


I thought you knew the way
We were expecting Jacki to come back sooner since we thought she knew the way back to town well


The noise electric
Heartbeat City is full of excitement and energy


Never stops
The excitement in Heartbeat City never ends


And all you need
To enjoy Heartbeat City, all you need is


Is what you got
contentment lies in what one has


And there's a place for everyone
Everyone can find their place in Heartbeat City


Under Heartbeat City's golden sun
In the warmth and energy of Heartbeat City


I missed you so badly
We missed Jacki terribly while she was away


When you jumped that train
We're referring to Jacki leaving town, possibly without telling us


It's getting closer
Heartbeat City is coming closer and closer


Out of sight
We can't see Heartbeat City yet


Heartbeat City's on the loose
Heartbeat City is full of energy and excitement


Better catch
We're telling ourselves that we need to hurry up and get to Heartbeat City


The blue caboose
The last car on a train, referring to us wanting to be the last ones to leave Heartbeat City


Oh, huh, Heartbeat City
We're excited about Heartbeat City and enjoying the ride there


It's my life
Heartbeat City is a big part of our lives right now




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ric Ocasek

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@miracle1formation

Oh Heartbeat City here we come
And happy days count on thumbs
And nothin' really gets us down
As long as Jacki's back in town
I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (oh Jacki)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
(Heartbeat city)
The noise electric
Never stops
And all you need
Is what you got
And there's a place for everyone
Under Heartbeat City's golden sun
Oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
Oh, yeah yeah yeah
You know, I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
I missed you so badly
When you jumped that train
oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
(Thought you knew the way)
I thought you blew away
Oh Heartbeat City
Lights at night
(Heartbeat City)
It's getting closer
Out of sight
(Heartbeat City)
Heartbeat City's on the loose
(Heartbeat City)
Better catch
The blue caboose
Oh, huh, Heartbeat City
It's my life
(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)



All comments from YouTube:

@vanfan1960

I had a gf named Jackie, back in the 80's. We would often drive around in her Cadillac listening to music, including the Cars, and this song of course. To say this song brings back a lot of memories and tugs at the heart, would be a huge understatement.

@russjiao-long5387

its memories like that and songs like this that leaves an irreplaceable and forever stamp on the heart and soul

@jeffspicoli763

This might be my favorite YouTube comment I've ever read

@eamonnquigley2125

same here but the difference was i hadnt a cadillac to drive around in but still good memories............... brilliant song

@user-gz8iv2tr5w

You've lived the dream buddy

@eamonnquigley2125

many thanks good health

4 More Replies...

@sadmachines6991

Takes me back to 1984, 13 years old. While most people I knew were listening to Def Leppard, I was collecting all The Cars albums. I just introduced my 8 year old son and wife to it.

@russjiao-long5387

def leppard sucks

@Paulco67

Your 8 yr old has a wife? Wow, they grow up so quickly! 😂

@gartmanxxx

Haunting 80s tune from a great band. Ric and Ben are missed.

More Comments

More Versions