After Be-Bop-A-Lula had become a huge hit in 1956 (peaking at #7 and spending 20 weeks in the Billboard Pop Chart), Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (often mis-named as 'the' Blue Caps) were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, but released critically acclaimed songs like Race With The Devil (#96 in Billboard) and Bluejean Bop (#49).
Following a visit to Europe in 1959, Vincent managed to attract a new huge and discerning audience there, especially in England and France. By that time his career had mostly ended in the US. In 1960, while on tour in Britain, Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were seriously injured in a high-speed traffic accident. Vincent broke his ribs, collarbone, and added further damage to his already weak leg which he had injured in a motorcycle accident in 1955 and refused to have amputated, and Sheeley suffered a broken pelvis. Both Vincent and Sheeley survived, but the accident killed Vincent's tourmate and Sheeley's fiancé, Eddie Cochran.
Vincent subsequently moved to England in 1963. His stage shows became "must see" events and his bands through those years were to spawn some of the most respected players in the world today. It was during his early tours of Britain that he adopted the trademark leather outfit, at the suggestion of British Rock 'n' Roll impressario, Jack Good.
Rip It Up
Gene Vincent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fool about my money, don't try to save,
My heart says go go, have a time,
Saturday night and I'm feelin' fine,
I'm gonna rock it up, I'm gonna rip it up,
I'm gonna shake it up, gonna ball it up,
I'm gonna rock it up, and ball tonight.
Got me a date and I won't be late,
Picked her up in my 88,
Shag on down by the union hall,
When the joint starts jumpin' I'll have a ball,
I'm gonna rock it up,
'Long about ten I'll be flying high,
Walk on out unto the sky,
But I don't care if I spend my dough,
Cause tonight I'm gonna be one happy soul,
I'm gonna rock it up,
Gene Vincent's "Rip It Up" is a song that reflects the celebratory spirit of Saturday night. The singer of the tune has just been paid and is eager to let loose and have a good time. The lyrics reflect this unbridled energy, with the singer proclaiming that they're going to "rock it up, rip it up, shake it up, ball it up." The refrain repeats the sentiments of the song's verses, driving the point home that this is a night to be unrestrained and live in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it's Saturday night and I just got paid,
It's the weekend and I received my salary
Fool about my money, don't try to save,
I'm not going to be responsible with my money and I won't try to save it
My heart says go go, have a time,
I have the urge to go out and have a great time
Saturday night and I'm feelin' fine,
I am feeling great because it's Saturday night
I'm gonna rock it up, I'm gonna rip it up,
I am going to dance and have a good time
I'm gonna shake it up, gonna ball it up,
I am going to dance and have a lot of fun
I'm gonna rock it up, and ball tonight.
I am going to dance and have a great time tonight
Got me a date and I won't be late,
I have a date and I won't be late
Picked her up in my 88,
I picked her up in my car, a model 88
Shag on down by the union hall,
We're going to dance at the union hall
When the joint starts jumpin' I'll have a ball,
I am going to have a lot of fun when the music starts playing
I'm gonna rock it up,
I am going to dance energetically
'Long about ten I'll be flying high,
Around ten o'clock I will be very happy and content
Walk on out unto the sky,
I will feel like I'm walking on air
But I don't care if I spend my dough,
I don't care if I spend all my money
Cause tonight I'm gonna be one happy soul,
Because tonight I am going to be very happy
I'm gonna rock it up,
I am going to dance energetically
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert Blackwell, John Marascalco
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ALLNEWSUX
I am so thankful that we still have recordings like this raw masterpiece lying around considering the garbage that passes for music in 2012! Gene Vincent and band rock!
Carlos Manuel Reus
Fantastic performance by Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps !!! Gene Vincent deserves to be recognized more for what he did for Rock and Roll. Johnny Meeks is an ace playing guitar.
Keith Hardie
He could at least have learned the words
ALAIN ZILKA
Formidable interprétation 👍👏
mal dunne
Pure rock and roll . Respect for Gene and all . Taken waaaay to soon . R.I.P Gene
miss alice
Gene has some of the coolest stage moves and stances I've ever seen.
bacontrees
Tis shows how much you don't need to put on a great performance!! It's all in the band right there!! Lesson to be learned for all aspiring rock stars!!
Bogus Mogus
Gene is the coolest of Rock'n'Rollers of the fifties
cinzsweet
my personal fav version of this song , though I like the others......just something edgy and raw about Gene's voice, the tempo, and those guitars are absolutely rockin'....wow
Harriette Williams
"Be-Bop-A-Lula" was picked up and played by other U.S. radio stations (obscuring the original "A-side" song), became a hit and launched Gene Vincent as a pop star. Vincent's backing band was The Blue Caps. The band at this time included Willie Williams on rhythm guitar, Jack Neal on upright bass, Dickie Harrell on drums, and the innovative and influential lead guitarist, Cliff Gallup.