David Samuel Pike (born March 23, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan) is a jazz vibr… Read Full Bio ↴David Samuel Pike (born March 23, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan) is a jazz vibraphone and marimba player.

Dave has been a consistently active percussionist over the past 40-plus years, specializing in vibraphone and marimba, and has built quite an impressive resume to stand on. Yet, because the meat of his career was spent recording for a European label at a time when jazz music was losing steam in mainstream America, he has been among the countless musicians to have taken his place amongst the more obscure and only recently sought after jazz musicians of the mid-Twentieth Century.

Jet Set
Dave Pike Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Woke up in Brooklyn, with a frown upon my face
Just left Wisconsin, where there's cheese enough to start this rat race
But thanks to the brothers Wright,
We don't know where we'll sleep tonight.
Yeah i'm a bird, in the sky and tomorrow when I rise I'll.

Wake up in Paris with a new love in my heart
Or maybe Germany with that brand new pet I met in Stuttgart

Sky's the limit it's time to play,
I'll put down roots some other day.

No need be a lonely joe,
The jet set is the only way to go.

Would you like new music, and mystery, each and every day?
Lose the same old music and history,
Make a new friend then fly away

And wake up in Texas where they treat their women right
And then try Hollywood where the stars can live out in broad daylight
Any city near or far feels twice as good as where you are.
When you're sick of the status quo, the jet set is the only way to go.

Would you like the sleigh ride, a hayride, then kiddo just stay home
But if you want jet set, then get set, to leave behind Kansas,
There's no place like Rome

Wake up in Rio, have your coffee in Brazil
When real life gets you down take a far-out, one way trip to splitsville
Swedish, Greek or Japanese, a stewardess is trained to please.

So if you've got what it takes below,
Well then fly this bird like Cupid's bow,
Cause the jet set's just a holiday
And the jet set goes up up and away so...

Right down to It'ly for la bella femina,
Jump in a fountain for a big dose of la dolce vita.
If your taste is more resque, well then we know a joint in old Bombay

So hang on tight, let's loop-de-loop
It's time to fly this chicken coop
So pack up your suitcase,
Check your worries at the gate
Come out and play boy, cruise the world to find your perfect playmate.

Things look better from above so buckle up next stop is love

From Timbuktu to Tokyo, from Mozambique to Mexico.
Well the jet set is the only way to go

Overall Meaning

Dave Pike's song "Jet Set" is all about travelling and exploring the world. The opening lyrics hint at a sense of ennui or boredom with one's current surroundings, expressed through waking up in Brooklyn with a "frown" on the face. The song then goes on to list various destinations around the world, from Paris to Hollywood to Rio, each presented as an exciting new opportunity for adventure or romance. The message of the song seems to be that life is short and one should seize the chance to experience as much of the world as possible while they still can.

The chorus reinforces this theme by extolling the virtues of the "jet set" lifestyle - that is, the ability to travel quickly and easily to any destination around the world. It suggests that this kind of life is the only way to avoid being a "lonely joe" and that the excitement and novelty of constantly travelling to new places is the key to happiness.

Many of the song's lyrics are framed in a way that presents travelling as a kind of escape from reality. "When real life gets you down", the song suggests, "take a far-out, one way trip to splitsville". This kind of language casts travel as a kind of fantasy or dream world where one can forget about their problems and worries. At the same time, there is a sense of searching and longing in the song, as though the thrill of constantly moving from place to place is an attempt to fill some kind of emotional void.

Line by Line Meaning

Woke up in Brooklyn, with a frown upon my face
I am unenthusiastic about my current location in Brooklyn and feeling low.

Just left Wisconsin, where there's cheese enough to start this rat race
Wisconsin offered an uninteresting life and I needed to move on.

But thanks to the brothers Wright, We don't know where we'll sleep tonight.
We can travel to any part of the world we want in the comfort of an airplane.

Yeah i'm a bird, in the sky and tomorrow when I rise I'll.
Traveling by airplane symbolizes freedom and exploration, and I am excited to keep moving tomorrow.

Wake up in Paris with a new love in my heart Or maybe Germany with that brand new pet I met in Stuttgart Sky's the limit it's time to play, I'll put down roots some other day.
I can wake up anywhere in the world I choose, with endless opportunities for adventure and excitement, and I'll settle down when I'm ready.

No need be a lonely joe, The jet set is the only way to go.
Traveling the world allows me to meet new people and experience different cultures, avoiding loneliness.

Would you like new music, and mystery, each and every day? Lose the same old music and history, Make a new friend then fly away
Traveling the world offers the chance to hear unfamiliar music, explore interesting mysteries, and make new friends while traveling.

And wake up in Texas where they treat their women right And then try Hollywood where the stars can live out in broad daylight Any city near or far feels twice as good as where you are. When you're sick of the status quo, the jet set is the only way to go.
Texas treats women well and Hollywood houses celebrities, but any place I travel to or from will be exciting, and getting away from the mundane is the goal of the jet set.

Would you like the sleigh ride, a hayride, then kiddo just stay home But if you want jet set, then get set, to leave behind Kansas, There's no place like Rome
If you want to experience something new, then travel the world, because staying home won't offer these opportunities, but the world will!

Wake up in Rio, have your coffee in Brazil When real life gets you down take a far-out, one way trip to splitsville Swedish, Greek or Japanese, a stewardess is trained to please.
Traveling to Rio, Brazil and other interesting places allows me to take a break from the pressures of real life, and the flight attendants are ready to cater to my comfort and pleasurable experience.

So if you've got what it takes below, Well then fly this bird like Cupid's bow, Cause the jet set's just a holiday And the jet set goes up up and away so...
If you are willing to change your life and take a chance on the world, you can live the dream of the jet set traveler who soars with a carefree attitude upwards and onwards.

Right down to It'ly for la bella femina, Jump in a fountain for a big dose of la dolce vita. If your taste is more resque, well then we know a joint in old Bombay
Traveling the world provides the opportunity to visit beautiful cities such as Italy, experience the beautiful Italian women, and have fun, while Bombay offers a unique and distinct Indian experience.

So hang on tight, let's loop-de-loop It's time to fly this chicken coop So pack up your suitcase, Check your worries at the gate Come out and play boy, cruise the world to find your perfect playmate.
Traveling the world is a fun and exciting adventure, so pack your bags and leave your worries behind to embark on a journey of self-discovery and excitement.

Things look better from above so buckle up next stop is love From Timbuktu to Tokyo, from Mozambique to Mexico. Well the jet set is the only way to go
Traveling the world allows me to see my life in a new perspective, opening my heart to new love and culture from Timbuktu to Tokyo, Mozambique to Mexico. The jet set provides the opportunity to live life to the fullest.

Writer(s): Dave Pike

Contributed by Callie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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