After becoming a police officer, like his father, during the late 1960s, Money began to be interested in music, and eventually ended his law enforcement career in favor of becoming a musician. He moved to Berkeley, California and became a regular at area clubs, where he eventually got enough attention to secure a recording contract with Columbia Records. Later in the 1970s, he charted with singles such as "Baby Hold On" and "Two Tickets to Paradise". Money continued his successes and took advantage of the MTV music video scene in the early 1980s with his humorous narrative videos for "Shakin'" and "Think I'm in Love", but his career began to fail him after several unsuccessful releases in the mid-1980s, accompanied by his struggles with drug addiction.
Money made a comeback two years later in 1986 and returned to the mainstream rock spotlight with the album Can't Hold Back, which featured a Ronnie Spector duet with "Take Me Home Tonight", which reached the Top 10, along with the hit "I Wanna Go Back". Money followed the album with another Top 10 hit, late 1988's "Walk on Water", but his Top 40 career ended when "I'll Get By" charted in 1992. During the 1990s and 2000s, Money continued to release numerous compilation albums along with several albums featuring new material. Today, he still tours the "Oldies" circuit regularly, often accompanied by other successful rock acts from his era, and has also made several television appearances on American sitcoms. Since 1992, Money has traditionally opened the summer concert season for DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI.
Eddie Money passed away from complications related to esophageal cancer in 2019 at the age of 70.
It Could Happen to You
Eddie Money Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
near the end of June.
We first met and fell in love.
Being both too shy
neither questioned why.
It was all we could think of.
So awkward at first...
It was like a curse.
But then you do.
And it could happen to you.
In a borrowed ride
White with with power glide
We felt passions burning heat.
With the static glow of the radio,
virgin struggled on the seat.
Bathed in salty sweat we were soaking wet,
as the night turned purple blue.
She took my heart.
And it could happen to you.
I was never born a liar, but in her arms...
Life was as complete as it could be.
But being so much younger than you think you are...
Life can be so cruel in its struggle to be free.
On vacation round by some college town
I heard whispers in the street.
She was seen about always hanging out
with some due she called real sweet.
When I asked her why she began to cry
It was all that she could do.
She broke my heart
And it could happen to you... Busted!
She took my heart
and it could happen to you.
She broke my heart
and it could happen to you.
My heart, my heart.
And it could happen to you.
The song "It Could Happen to You" by Eddie Money tells a story about a young couple who fall in love but eventually break up due to the inevitable struggles of life. The lyrics are set in a series of flashbacks which begin with the initial meeting between the two protagonists in a time of mutual shyness during a summer afternoon in June. The couple shares a strong connection at the beginning of their relationship, but as time goes on, they face obstacles such as the unfaithfulness of one partner, causing the breakup of the relationship. The song's message is that love can just as easily turn to heartbreak, and no matter how strong a connection may feel, relationships can come to an end.
In the first verse, Eddie Money describes the chance meeting of the two protagonists and the beginnings of their relationship. The couple's shyness and lack of questioning regarding the sudden attraction they feel to each other is indicative of the initial stages of most couples' relationships. The chorus serves as a reminder that even when things seem to be going well in a relationship, heartbreak is always a possibility.
The second verse is more explicitly sensual, with the couple's sexual passion being fueled by the radio static in a borrowed car. The lines "virgin struggled on the seat. Bathed in salty sweat we were soaking wet, as the night turned purple blue" illustrate the physical intensity of their relationship. However, despite this passion, the relationship is destined for failure due to the struggles of life, as depicted in the final verse, which describes the breakup of the relationship.
Overall, "It Could Happen to You" is a bittersweet song that illustrates the ups and downs of romantic relationships. It is a testament to the fact that love is unpredictable and sometimes painful.
Line by Line Meaning
On an afternoon near the end of June.
The song starts with setting the tone of the story that began on a particular afternoon.
We first met and fell in love.
The singer met his partner and fell in love with her on that afternoon.
Being both too shy neither questioned why. It was all we could think of.
Both of them were shy and hesitant, but love was all they could think of at that moment.
So awkward at first... It was like a curse. You'd think you'll never lose. But then you do. And it could happen to you.
Initially, it was awkward and felt like a curse, but they thought they could never lose each other. However, the reality is that love can be lost, and it can happen to anyone.
In a borrowed ride White with with power glide We felt passions burning heat.
The artist and his partner were in a borrowed car, and they were feeling the intense passion between them.
With the static glow of the radio, virgin struggled on the seat. Bathed in salty sweat we were soaking wet, as the night turned purple blue.
The radio's soft static and their uncontrolled desires made the situation more intense. They were both sweating profusely, and the night's color seemed to reflect their emotions.
She took my heart. And it could happen to you.
The singer's partner took his heart, and the song serves as a warning that love can happen to anyone.
I was never born a liar, but in her arms... Life was as complete as it could be.
The artist is admitting that he never thought he would lie but he felt complete with his partner.
But being so much younger than you think you are... Life can be so cruel in its struggle to be free.
Despite feeling content, the artist struggled with the thought that his partner was younger than he thought she was. This realization made him think of life's cruel nature.
On vacation round by some college town I heard whispers in the street. She was seen about always hanging out with some due she called real sweet.
The artist was on a vacation when he heard rumors about his partner hanging out with some guy she called 'real sweet.'
When I asked her why she began to cry It was all that she could do.
When the singer confronted his partner, she broke into tears, unable to explain herself.
She broke my heart And it could happen to you... Busted!
The artist's partner broke his heart, and the song ends with a harsh warning - love can be lost, and anyone can be 'busted.'
She took my heart and it could happen to you. She broke my heart and it could happen to you. My heart, my heart. And it could happen to you.
The chorus of the song repeats the warning that love can take your heart away and break it just as easily.
Contributed by Landon T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.