In 1975, Rabbitt signed on with Elektra Records, who had recently created a country music division. His early pieces were strongly C&W, such as "Two Dollars in the Jukebox." Later, his music began to be influenced by R&B and pop. He scored some of his biggest hits with tunes such as "Drinkin' My Baby Off My Mind" (1976), "You Don't Love Me Anymore" (1978), "I Love a Rainy Night" (1980), "Drivin' My Life Away" (1980), "Step by Step" (1981), and a duet with Crystal Gayle, "You and I" (1982) which broke over into the adult contemporary charts. He was also well-known for writing and recording the theme song for the 1978 Clint Eastwood movie "Every Which Way But Loose."
During the late 1980s, Rabbitt was one of many pop-influenced country stars who lost ground on the charts to more traditional-sounding artists. He recorded very little during the 1990s, in part because of the illness and subsequent death of his young son. After his son died, Rabbitt became active in raising money for organizations that aid sick children. Rabbitt himself died of lung cancer at the age of 56.
During his career, Rabbitt scored 26 #1 hits on the country charts, and had 8 Top 40 pop hits. He was named the Top New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music in 1977, and he won an American Music Award for Best Pop Male Vocalist in 1981.
Eddie Rabbitt is interred in Calvary Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee.
Two Dollars in the Jukebox
Eddie Rabbitt Lyrics
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And five dollars in a bottle,
And ten more just in case that don't do the trick!
And I'll be dead broke tomorrow morning,
With heart-aches by the dozen,
And a lady on my mind that's driving me crazy.
Why do I?
Need to see those blue eyes
Lookin' at me that way again?
After the way she did me,
It's a sin!
How could she?
How could she?
Just walk out and leave me?
After all these nights in her arms,
Look where I am!
And I've got two dollars in the jukebox,
And five dollars in a bottle,
And ten more just in case that don't do the trick!
And I'll be dead broke tomorrow morning,
With heart-aches by the dozen,
And a lady on my mind that's driving me crazy.
I've got two dollars in the jukebox,
And five dollars in a bottle,
And ten more just in case that don't do the trick!
And I'll be dead broke tomorrow morning,
With heart-aches by the dozen,
And a lady on my mind that's driving me crazy.
I've got a lady on my mind that's driving me crazy!
The opening lines of Eddie Rabbitt's song "Two Dollars in the Jukebox" express the frustration, heartache, and desperation of a man who has been left by the woman he loves. He is down to his last few dollars, but he is determined to spend them all on music and drink, hoping that they will help him forget his troubles for just a little while. However, he is painfully aware that this is just a temporary fix, and that when the night is over, he will still be broke and alone, with nothing to show for his efforts except aching memories of the woman who walked out on him.
The repeated questions "Why do I?" and "How could she?" reveal the singer's confusion and despair, as he tries to make sense of the sudden end of his relationship. He cannot understand why the woman he loved would leave him, and he is left to wonder what he did wrong. The haunting refrain of "I've got a lady on my mind that's driving me crazy" underscores the intensity of his longing and sorrow, and emphasizes the futility of trying to escape it by drowning his sorrows in alcohol and music.
Overall, "Two Dollars in the Jukebox" presents a starkly honest portrayal of the aftermath of a failed love affair, and captures the intense emotions that can arise when a relationship comes to a sudden and painful end.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got two dollars in the jukebox,
I have enough money to play the jukebox two times.
And five dollars in a bottle,
I have enough money to buy a bottle of alcohol for five dollars.
And ten more just in case that don't do the trick!
I have ten more dollars handy in case I need them to ease my pain.
And I'll be dead broke tomorrow morning,
I will have no money left the next day.
With heart-aches by the dozen,
I will have numerous emotional wounds or troubles.
And a lady on my mind that's driving me crazy.
I am experiencing distress or insanity about a woman.
Why do I?
Why am I doing this?
Need to see those blue eyes
Want to admire her beautiful blue eyes again.
Lookin' at me that way again?
Staring at me with affection once again?
After the way she did me,
Considering the way she treated me.
It's a sin!
It is wrong.
How could she?
How was she capable of doing that?
Just walk out and leave me?
Simply abandon me and go away?
After all these nights in her arms,
Despite spending so many nights in her embrace,
Look where I am!
See where I ended up at!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDDIE RABBITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joseph Amari
on Gotta Have You
These are the correct lyrics for Gotta Have You Eddie Rabbitt
Standing at the window
Waiting for the light
Staring down the barrel
Of a rainy night
Mister Walker, help me kill the pain
'Cause red is his color
And John is his name
Help me kill the pain
I gotta have you
Nothing's ever gonna be right
If I don't have you
Another string of these lonely nights
Ain't never gonna do
When I let you get away from me
I was a fool in the first degree
And I gotta have you
I used to listen to your heartbeat every night
It was such a good love, and it felt so right
And I still don't know what made me stray
But I took you for granted, and I gave you away
I just gave you away
I gotta have you
Nothing's ever gonna be right
If I don't have you
Another string of these lonely nights
Ain't never gonna do
When I let you get away from me
I was a fool in the first degree
And I gotta have you, you
I feel like I'm living on borrowed time
I've got a damn good reason for walking the line
I keep praying for the ringing of the telephone
I'm gonna hope these tears will bring you home
Won't you please come home, yeah
'Cause I gotta have you
Nothing's ever gonna be right
If I don't have you
Another string of these lonely nights
Ain't never gonna do
When I let you get away from me
I was a fool in the first degree
And I gotta have you
Nothing's ever gonna be right
If I don't have you
Another string of these lonely nights
Ain't never gonna do
When I let you get away from me
I was a fool in the first degree
And I gotta have you
Nothing's ever gonna be right
If I don't have you
Another string of these lonely nights
Ain't never gonna do