Heavily influenced by American rock & roll, Mitchell (who went solo in 1963) has often recorded outside France, at first in London, but later in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. Guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer Bob Graham were among the British session musicians who regularly supported him in London.
Tighten-Up
Eddy Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
only sing but we dance just as good as we walk. In Houston we just started a
new dance called the Tighten Up. This is the music we tighten up to.
First tighten up on the drums. Come on now drummer. I want you to tighten
it up for me now. oh yeah
Tighten up on that bass now. Tighten it up. ha ha Yeah
Now let that guitar fall in. Oh yeah
Ya, do the tighten up. Yeah now.
I said if you can do it now,
It sure would be tough.
Now look here. Come on now. Make it mellow.
Let's tighten up now. Do the tighten up.
Everybody can do it now. So let's do it.
We're gonna tighten up. Let's do the tighten up.
You can do it now. So baby get to it.
Let's do your left now. Let's do your right.
You can do it. But don'tcha just do it light.
Come on and tighten up. Tighten it up now.
Come on now drum. Tighten it up.
Tighten up that bass. Oh yeah
Now look here. I want that guitar to fall in on that.
Tighten it up now. Oh yeah
Now tighten it up organ.
There everybody, tighten it up.
Now look here. We gonna make it mellow for ya now.
We gonna make it mellow now.
Tighten up. You can tighten up.
The lyrics to Eddy Mitchell's song "Tighten Up" serve as an introduction to a new dance phenomenon originating in Houston, Texas. The singer, Archie Drell, and his band, the Drells, encourage the audience to "tighten up" both musically and physically. The song's structure is repetitive, with each verse calling for a different instrument to "tighten up" before the band and audience come together to "tighten up" and dance.
The song's lyrics can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically. On one level, the repeated phrase "tighten up" refers to the band's need to play more tightly and in sync. On another level, the phrase can be seen as a call to action for the audience to come together and "tighten up" as a community. The song's upbeat tempo and catchy chorus create a sense of camaraderie and encourage the audience to join in and "tighten up" together.
Line by Line Meaning
Hi everybody. I'm Archie Drell and the Drells from Houston, Texas. We don't only sing but we dance just as good as we walk. In Houston we just started a new dance called the Tighten Up. This is the music we tighten up to.
Introducing himself and the band and the new dance called Tighten Up that they dance to.
First tighten up on the drums. Come on now drummer. I want you to tighten it up for me now. oh yeah
Asking the drummer to play a tight beat.
Tighten up on that bass now. Tighten it up. ha ha Yeah
Asking for the bass player to play a tight rhythm.
Now let that guitar fall in. Oh yeah
Bringing in the guitar to join in the tight rhythm.
Tighten up on that organ now.
Asking for the organ to play a tighter rhythm to join in.
Ya, do the tighten up. Yeah now.
Encouraging everyone to dance the Tighten Up.
I said if you can do it now, It sure would be tough.
Suggesting that the dance is difficult to do, but still encouraging people to try.
Now look here. Come on now. Make it mellow. Let's tighten up now. Do the tighten up. Everybody can do it now. So let's do it. We're gonna tighten up. Let's do the tighten up. You can do it now. So baby get to it.
Encouragement for everyone to dance the Tighten Up, and instructions to make it mellow and tight.
Let's do your left now. Let's do your right. You can do it. But don'tcha just do it light. Come on and tighten up. Tighten it up now.
Directions for how to dance the Tighten Up, and to do it tight.
Come on now drum. Tighten it up. Tighten up that bass. Oh yeah Now look here. I want that guitar to fall in on that. Tighten it up now. Oh yeah Now tighten it up organ. There everybody, tighten it up.
Directions for each instrument to play a tighter rhythm to make the Tighten Up dance better.
Now look here. We gonna make it mellow for ya now. We gonna make it mellow now. Tighten up. You can tighten up.
Going back to instructions for how to make the dance mellow while keeping it tight.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARCHIE BELL, BILLY BUTTIER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind