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.
Take Me Tonight
Gene Pitney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See the way she shuffles her feet
How she holds her head up high
When she goes walking by, I could die
When she holds my hand out so proud
Though she's not just one of the crowd
[Incomprehensible] always the oneTrying the things they've never done
Just because all that they say, hey
She's a rebel and she'll never be any good
She's a rebel 'cause she never ever does what she should
Well, just because she doesn't do what everybody else does
And that's the reason why I can give up all my love
She is always good to me
[Incomprehensible] from outside of me
Well, she's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, to me
And I'll be going my crooked way
They won't like me after the day
I'll just stand there, right by her side
And they say
She's a rebel and she'll never be any good
She's a rebel 'cause she never ever does what she should
Well, just because she doesn't do what everybody else does
And that's the reason why we can't share our love
She is always good to me
[Incomprehensible] from outside of me
Well, she's not a rebel, no, no, no
Oh, she's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no
Well, she's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, no, no
The lyrics of Gene Pitney's song Take Me Tonight tell the story of a rebellious woman who walks proudly down the street, shuffling her feet, and not conforming to the expectations of society. The singer admires her defiance and independence, despite the fact that others label her as a rebel and think she will never be any good. The woman does not care about what others think, and this makes the singer fall in love with her even more. He sees her as always good to him, and he is willing to follow her, even if it means going his crooked way and being judged by society.
Throughout the song, the singer defends the woman's character, stating that she is not a rebel to him. He believes that the woman is brave and inspiring, trying things that others have never done and not conforming to societal expectations. To the singer, the woman's uniqueness and independence make her even more attractive, and he is willing to give up all his love for her.
In summary, Gene Pitney's Take Me Tonight is a romantic ode to a rebellious woman who defies conventions and societal expectations. The singer admires the woman's independence, courage, and uniqueness, despite her being labeled as a rebel by others.
Line by Line Meaning
See the way she walks down the street
Observing the way she moves gives me a sense of awe and admiration.
See the way she shuffles her feet
The quirkiness in her gait is endearing and unique.
How she holds her head up high
Her confidence is exemplified by the way she carries herself.
When she goes walking by, I could die
The sheer beauty of her presence evokes strong emotions in me.
When she holds my hand out so proud
She takes pride in my companionship as evidenced by how she holds my hand.
Though she's not just one of the crowd
She stands out from the rest because of her individuality.
[Incomprehensible] always the one
She is the type to take chances and initiate new experiences.
Trying the things they've never done
She is adventurous and unafraid to take risks.
Just because all that they say, hey
Despite negative comments from others, she remains true to herself.
She's a rebel and she'll never be any good
She is considered a nonconformist because she does not adhere to societal norms.
She's a rebel 'cause she never ever does what she should
Her refusal to conform to expected behaviors is viewed negatively.
Well, just because she doesn't do what everybody else does
Her actions are seen as different simply because they stray from the norm.
And that's the reason why I can give up all my love
I am willing to set aside my differences and embrace her for who she is.
She is always good to me
Despite her unconventional ways, she consistently demonstrates kindness to me.
[Incomprehensible] from outside of me
My admiration for her is not limited to just her physical attributes.
Well, she's not a rebel, no, no, no
She is not a rebel in my eyes because I accept her for who she is.
And I'll be going my crooked way
I am aware that my decision to support her may be viewed as contentious.
They won't like me after the day
My decision to stand by her may be met with disapproval from others.
I'll just stand there, right by her side
Despite the potential backlash, I will remain loyal to her.
And they say
Others might express their disapproval of our relationship.
And that's the reason why we can't share our love
Our love may be impeded by societal pressures and disapproval.
She's not a rebel, no, no, no
Even though others see her as a rebel, I do not view her as such.
She's not a rebel, no, no, no, to me
My feelings for her are not affected by societal labels.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AARON SCHROEDER, ROY ALFRED, WALLY GOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@VR-ok8ub
I saw Gene twice at a local night club in the late 60's early 70's, he was a regular visitor to the UK, and was always mesmerising. That soaring note at the end of 'I'm Gonna Be Strong' just took your breath away. This track was a favourite on one of his albums - sadly not mine, I used to borrow it from a friend. It came into my mind so I had to find it again. 🥰
@reinaalonso8391
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@Reddirtgirl1
Will always love you Gene! ❤❤
@jennyholmes5516
Beautiful song n singer missed so much ❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏
@jennyholmes1633
Here again what a beautiful song❤️❤️❤️👏👏👏
@marilynsmith8054
Makes you want to cry! So beautiful. Just loved him in the 60s.
@jennyholmes1633
Fantastic song wow what a voice love it ❤️❤️👏👏👏
@marthacameron2727
Brilliant song and voice
@jerrolddavidson7733
An adult lullaby, very enjoyable
@marciasweet3563
I love all his music!