Drive-In Saturday
David Bowie Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Uh uh ah) Let me put my arms around your head
(Dom do ah) Gee, it's hot, let's go to bed
Don't forget to turn on the light
Don't laugh babe, it'll be alright
(Dom do ah) Pour me out another phone
(Dom do ah) I'll ring and see if your friends are home
Perhaps the strange ones in the dome
Can lend us a book we can read up alone

And try to get it on like once before
When people stared in Jagger's eyes and scored
Like the video films we saw

His name was always buddy (got got do ah aah aah)
And he'd shrug and ask to stay
She'd sigh like twig the wonder kid (got got do ah)
And turn her face away

She's uncertain if she likes him (got got do ah aah aah)
But she knows she really loves him
It's a crash course for the ravers (got got do ah)
It's a drive-in Saturday

Jung the foreman prayed at work (dom do ah)
Neither hands nor limbs would burst
It's hard enough to keep formation with this fall out saturation

(Bah dom bah) cursing at the astronette
(Dom do ah) who stands in steel by his cabinet
He's crashing out with Sylvian
The bureau supply for aging men
With snorting head he gazes to the shore
Once had raised a sea that raged no more
Like the video films we saw

His name was always buddy (got got do ah aah aah)
And he'd shrug and ask to stay
She'd sigh like twig the wonder kid (got got do ah)
And turn her face away

She's uncertain if she likes him (got got do ah aah aah)
But she knows she really loves him
It's a crash course for the ravers (got got do ah)
It's a drive-in Saturday

His name was always buddy (got got do ah aah aah)
And he'd shrug and ask to stay
She'd sigh like twig the wonder kid (got got do ah)
And turn her face away

She's uncertain if she likes him (got got do ah aah aah)
But she knows she really loves him
It's a crash course for the ravers (got got do ah)
It's a drive-in Saturday, yeah, yeah

(Drive-in Saturday)
(It's a drive-in Saturday)
(It's a drive-in Saturday)
(It's a drive-in Saturday)
It's a, it's a, it's a drive in Saturday (It's a drive-in Saturday)
It's a, it's a, it's a, yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, yes sir,
Yes sir
(It's a drive-in Saturday) dom do do do, dom do do do
(It's a drive-in Saturday) dom do do da, dom do do da




(It's a drive-in Saturday) yes sir
(It's a drive-in Saturday)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to David Bowie's "Drive-In Saturday" tell the story of a post-apocalyptic society where people are trying to rediscover their lost sexual identities. The first two lines appear to refer to oral sex ("Let me put my arms around your head, gee it's hot, let's go to bed"). The singer is reminded to turn on the light before proceeding further. He tries to relax by pouring himself another drink and calling friends who may lend him books to read to fuel their sexual explorations. The drive-in Saturday is portrayed as a "crash course for the ravers" to learn how to be sensual again.


The song explores the fear and awkwardness that accompanies sexual experimentation, with lines such as "She's uncertain if she likes him, but she knows she really loves him". Buddy, the lead character of the song, needs reassurance and connection with others, perhaps to quell his fears and doubts. The chorus uses repetition (It's a drive-in Saturday, yeah, yeah) to conjure up images of a time when people were more open to trying new things.


Overall, the lyrics to "Drive-In Saturday" reflect the societal changes that occurred in the 1970s, as people were exploring new ways to express their sexual identity. The song was a departure from Bowie's earlier works and paved the way for the gender-bending music that dominated the 1980s.


Line by Line Meaning

(Uh uh ah) Let me put my arms around your head
The singer wants to embrace their lover in an intimate and loving gesture.


(Dom do ah) Gee, it's hot, let's go to bed
The singer is suggesting they have sex with their lover because it's a hot night.


Don't forget to turn on the light
The singer reminds their lover to turn on the light before they engage in sexual activity.


Don't laugh babe, it'll be alright
The artist assures their lover that everything will be fine and they should not worry or laugh at the situation.


(Dom do ah) Pour me out another phone
The artist requests their lover to pour them another drink while they try and call some friends to see if they're available.


(Dom do ah) I'll ring and see if your friends are home
The singer suggests they call their lover's friends to see if they are available to meet them.


Perhaps the strange ones in the dome
The singer suggests that they might visit some strange people in a nearby dome or building to see if they can borrow a book to read alone.


Can lend us a book we can read up alone
The artist asks the strangers for a book they can read alone with their lover.


And try to get it on like once before
The artist wants to have sex with their lover like they did before.


When people stared in Jagger's eyes and scored
The artist recalls a time when people watched Mick Jagger perform and were sexually aroused by his gaze.


Like the video films we saw
The singer recalls watching erotic videos with their lover.


His name was always buddy (got got do ah aah aah)
The artist references a character named 'Buddy' who is a recurring figure throughout the song.


And he'd shrug and ask to stay
Buddy would ask to stay with the singer and their lover.


She'd sigh like twig the wonder kid (got got do ah)
The singer's lover would sigh like Twiggy, the model and actress who was popular in the 60s.


And turn her face away
The lover would turn their face away from Buddy's advances.


She's uncertain if she likes him (got got do ah aah aah)
The artist's lover is unsure if they have feelings for Buddy.


But she knows she really loves him
Despite her uncertainty, the artist's lover knows they truly love the artist.


It's a crash course for the ravers (got got do ah)
The song is suggesting that the events happening are part of a 'crash course' for young people who enjoy dancing and partying (ravers).


It's a drive-in Saturday
The song is celebrating the culture of young Americans going to a drive-in movie theater on Saturdays.


Jung the foreman prayed at work (dom do ah)
The artist references a character named Jung who prays while working as a foreman.


Neither hands nor limbs would burst
The artist suggests that Jung's job is dangerous and requires him to be careful to avoid hurting himself.


It's hard enough to keep formation with this fall out saturation
Jung's job is difficult enough without worrying about the dangers of radioactivity (fall out saturation).


(Bah dom bah) cursing at the astronette
The singer is cursing at an astronaut who is in space.


(Dom do ah) who stands in steel by his cabinet
The astronaut is standing in their ship by the control panel (cabinet) made of steel.


He's crashing out with Sylvian
The singer references a character named Sylvian who is with the astronaut.


The bureau supply for aging men
The song suggests that there is some kind of organization (bureau) that supplies mature men (aging men) with something (reason unknown).


With snorting head he gazes to the shore
The astronaut (with a snorting nose) looks down at the planet beneath him (the shore).


Once had raised a sea that raged no more
The astronaut remembers a time when they raised a stormy ocean that has since calmed down.


(It's a drive-in Saturday) dom do do do, dom do do do
The chorus repeats the song's celebration of young Americans going to a drive-in movie theater on Saturdays.


(It's a drive-in Saturday) dom do do da, dom do do da
The chorus continues to repeat the song's celebration of young Americans going to a drive-in movie theater on Saturdays.


(It's a drive-in Saturday) yes sir
The chorus continues to celebrate the drive-in movie theater experience.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE

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

DrJKintobor


on I Can't Give Everything Away

I can totally imagine this being the end theme of Sabrina Online, when Sabrina marries Richard and they drive off into the sunset...

Peter Bonney


on Diamond Dogs

If you like free music and you have google chrome, try this free app .SonicHits .

More Versions