Pitney, a pop rock pioneer, had his greatest success overall in Britain, first travelling there after his first self penned hit in 1961. "I Wanna Love My Life Away" hit #26 on the UK singles chart & just broke into the top 40 in the US.
His early music recorded for the "musicor" label was romantic, lonely and dramatic, fitting in alongside contemporaries like Buddy Holly, Neil Sedaka, Roy Orbison & serves as an audio time capsule of a more innocent time.
Gene Pitney - Yesterday's Hero...
Gene was a Brill Building songwriter who even before his singing career took off, had written one of Ricky Nelson's biggest hits "Hello Mary Lou". He had been helped out initially in his career by Burt Bacharach & Hal David, and later recorded some of their songs which became big hits like "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and the classic "Only Love Can Break A Heart". At the time his "Only Love..." recording was a #2 chart hit, he had written the number 1 song that week; "He's A Rebel" (A Phil Spector production recorded by The Crystals). All in all Pitney himself recorded 16 top 40 songs in the US from 1961 to 1968.
Gene's biggest popularity was in England, where he used the Rolling Stones publicist Andrew Loog Oldham to get his fame established, which lasted there to the day of his death. In the UK, Gene had 40 top-40 charting hits through 1974. He finally hit #1 in the UK in 1990, performing a duet with Marc Almond of Soft Cell. Pitney died April 5 on tour in 2006. He was found by his tour manager fully clothed on his bed at a Hilton Hotel in Cardiff , shortly after performing a concert.
If I Didn't Have a Dime
Gene Pitney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To play the jukebox
Ohh, Saturday night would've been a sad
And lonely night for me
And if you weren't standin' there
Ruby lips and golden hair, beside the jukebox
Ohh, I'd have lost my chance
While the records turn and turn, we danced
And learned our hearts had yearned for this
'Neath the moon we walked and walked and talked
Of love and then we kissed
Now with every sweet caress
Oh, my darling how I bless that little jukebox
Ohh, love songs that they sing
Wouldn't mean a single thing
Even though you're standing there
Ruby lips and golden hair
If I didn't have a dime and I didn't take the time
To play the jukebox
Now with every sweet caress
Oh, my darling how I bless that little jukebox
Ohh, love songs that they sing
Wouldn't mean a single thing
Even though you're standing there
Ruby lips and golden hair
If I didn't have a dime and I didn't take the time
To play the jukebox
The song “If I Didn't Have a Dime” by Gene Pitney, is about the significance of music in our lives, and how it has the potential to bring people together. The lyrics evoke a nostalgia for a time when people depended on jukeboxes to play their favorite songs and dance to them on a Saturday night. The song’s narrator acknowledges that he would not have had a good time if he had not played the jukebox and had the opportunity to dance with his partner, who has “ruby lips and golden hair.”
The first two lines of the song provide a hypothetical scenario, where the singer imagines what his Saturday night would have been like if he had not played the jukebox. He suggests that it would have been a sad and lonely night for him. This sets the stage for the central theme of the song, which is how music can bring people together and make a good time even better.
The next two lines of the song underscore the role of the singer’s partner in his happiness on this particular night. He notes that if she were not there with him, he might have missed the opportunity to dance with her. The line “beside the jukebox” emphasizes the role of the jukebox in their meeting and subsequent romance.
The rest of the song’s lyrics continue to emphasize the importance of music to them. The couple dances to the jukebox’s music and learns that they share a love for each other. The singer blesses the jukebox for bringing them together, as they share sweet caresses and kisses while listening to love songs. The final lines reflect the singer’s gratitude for the jukebox’s role in his happiness, as he notes that his partner’s presence alone would not have been enough to create their special night.
Line by Line Meaning
If I didn't have a dime and I didn't take the time
If I were poor and didn't stop to enjoy the simple pleasures
To play the jukebox
To insert some money into the machine and choose a song
Ohh, Saturday night would've been a sad
It would have been a dismal experience
And lonely night for me
I would have felt all alone
And if you weren't standin' there
And if you were not present
Ruby lips and golden hair, beside the jukebox
Your luscious red lips and your beautiful blond hair, next to the music machine
Ohh, I'd have lost my chance
I would have missed my opportunity
To hold you while you danced with me
To embrace you while we danced together
While the records turn and turn, we danced
As the vinyl played, we moved our feet to the rhythm
And learned our hearts had yearned for this
We discovered that our hearts desired one another
'Neath the moon we walked and walked and talked
Under the moonlight, we strolled and conversed
Of love and then we kissed
About our love for each other and then we locked lips
Now with every sweet caress
At this moment, when I gently touch you
Oh, my darling how I bless that little jukebox
My love, I thank that music machine for bringing us together
Ohh, love songs that they sing
Oh, the romantic ballads that they croon
Wouldn't mean a single thing
Would be meaningless without you by my side
Even though you're standing there
Although you are present with me
Ruby lips and golden hair
Your gorgeous features
If I didn't have a dime and I didn't take the time
If I didn't have some coins and didn't stop to enjoy the song
To play the jukebox
To let the music play
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BERT RUSSELL, PHIL MEDLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SlimJim
I just LOVE Gene Pitney's singing, his voice is so unique and so beautiful.
debiedog1
Nothing will beat pure talent like this!!
makemp01
It's amazing how a song can act as a time machine to take you back to a certain moment in time. Thank you for posting this song!
Alicia D
Just plain L-O-V-E this song~ You hear it and it sticks in your head & you find yourself humming it all day long. It was never one of his Hits but it screams more innocent and simpler times. So sad that we lost Gene way too soon.
Greg
Gene was one of the first pop singers I was exposed to in the early sixties, as a twelve year old.
I went on to embrace R&B, Led Zepp, The Band etc and ended up playing drums in rock bands for ten years.
But I never forgot Gene Pitney. A huge no. of hit songs, all delivered with that passionate, distinctive voice, which I loved. Still do. For me, he's up there with Roy Orbison.
And this song epitomises his unique tenderness and soulfullness. Brilliant. Immortal.
Peter Brewster
One of the all time great pop gems.
Mralsfan 6
What a voice! He was right up there with Roy Orbison, Harry Nilsson, and Jay Black.
Tim Ruth
Agreed! And thats saying a lot. There's a lot of incredibly talented people in that lineup.
Tony Atwood
Gene Pitney was one of the most underrated singers ever, Britain adored him, and he had a powerful God given voice, outstanding!
bonkey dollocks
He was well adored, enjoyed a long and distinguished career, fantastic voice.