Thorogood cut his debut album titled Better Than the Rest in 1974, and released it that same year. In the autumn of 1976 he recorded his second album, the eponymous George Thorogood with his band, The Destroyers (sometimes also known as The Delaware Destroyers) and issued the album in 1977. Thorogood released his next album entitled Move It On Over in the autumn of 1978 with The Destroyers, which included the hit "Move It On Over" in 1978. "Please Set A Date" and "Who Do You Love" both followed in 1979.
During the 1980s, and 1990s, Thorogood recorded some of his most well known works, Bad To The Bone (used to great effect during the bar scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day), "I Drink Alone" (from his Maverick album), "You Talk Too Much", and "If You Don't Start Drinking, I'm Gonna Leave".
Thorogood is best known for his animated stage presence and loud, raucous electric guitar playing. He is also known as "Lonesome George".
Who Do You Love?
George Thorogood Lyrics
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A brand new house on the road side, and it's a-made out of rattlesnake hide
Got a band new chimney put on top, and it's a-made out of human skull
Come on take a little walk with me baby, and tell me who do you love?
Who do you love?
Around the town I use a rattlesnake whip, take it easy baby don't you give me no lip
Who do you love?
I've got a tombstone hand and a graveyard mind, I'm just twenty-two and I don't mind dying
Who do you love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Ah, who do you love?
Now Arlene took a-me by my hand, she said lonesome George you don't understand
Who do you love?
The night were dark and the sky were blue, down the alleyway a ice wagon flew
Hit a bump and somebody screamed, you should've heard what I'd seen
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Yeah who do you love?
Ah, who do you love?
Yeah, I've got a tombstone hand in a graveyard mine
Just twenty-two baby I don't mind dying
Snake skin shoes baby put them on your feet
Got the good time music and the Bo Diddley beat
Yeah, who do you love?
Ooh, who do you love?
I walked forty-seven miles of barbed wire, I got a cobra snake for a necktie
A brand new house on the road side, and it's made out of rattle snake hide
Got a band new chimney put on top, and it's made out of human skull
Come on take a little walk with me child, tell me who do you love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love
Oh
The lyrics of "Who Do You Love" by George Thorogood & The Destroyers are a mix of boastful and ominous lines conveyed in a blues-rock manner. The opening lines describe the singer's impressive feats, having walked 47 miles of barbed wire and wearing a cobra for a necktie. He also boasts of a brand new house made out of rattlesnake hide and a chimney made of human skulls. He invites his lover to take a walk with him and asks the repeated question, "Who do you love?"
Throughout the song, the singer exudes a sense of power and danger, carrying a rattlesnake whip and a tombstone hand with a graveyard mind. He seems fearless and ready to face death at a young age, stating that he's just twenty-two and doesn't mind dying. The middle section of the song introduces another character, Arlene, who tries to reason with the singer and tells him that he doesn't understand everything. The song concludes with a chaotic scene where an ice wagon hits a bump and someone screams, emphasizing the unpredictability of life and death.
The lyrics of "Who Do You Love" symbolize a character who revels in his power, mystique, and fearlessness in the face of danger. He's lived a life of extreme experiences and is ready for whatever comes his way. The repeated question, "Who do you love?" seems like a challenge to others to prove their worth and earn his respect. The song's overall tone is a blend of blues-rock, punk, and 1950s rockabilly, conveying a sense of rebelliousness and grit.
Line by Line Meaning
I walked forty-seven miles of barbed wire, I got a cobra snake for a necktie
I encountered numerous difficulties and now use a snake as a tie
A brand new house on the road side, and it's a-made out of rattlesnake hide
I have a new home that is built using rattlesnake skin
Got a band new chimney put on top, and it's a-made out of human skull
I have recently installed a new chimney made of human bones
Come on take a little walk with me baby, and tell me who do you love?
Let's take a stroll and talk about who you are fond of
Who do you love?
Who are you passionate about?
Around the town I use a rattlesnake whip, take it easy baby don't you give me no lip
I carry a snake whip and request not to be challenged
I've got a tombstone hand and a graveyard mind, I'm just twenty-two and I don't mind dying
I have a menacing presence and a blasé attitude towards death despite my youth
Now Arlene took a-me by my hand, she said lonesome George you don't understand
My companion, Arlene, attempted to educate me
Who do you love?
Who do you have affections for?
The night were dark and the sky were blue, down the alleyway a ice wagon flew
The time was late and the environment was eerie when an ice cart unexpectedly came through
Hit a bump and somebody screamed, you should've heard what I'd seen
There was an unpleasant incident resulting in someone's distress and I had witnessed it all
Yeah, I've got a tombstone hand in a graveyard mine, just twenty-two baby I don't mind dying
I have a sinister aura and don't fear death despite only being twenty-two years old
Snake skin shoes baby put them on your feet, got the good time music and the Bo Diddley beat
Wear stylish serpent footwear while we enjoy some upbeat Bo Diddley music
Yeah, who do you love?
So, tell me, who do you truly love?
Ooh, who do you love?
Can you reveal to me the identity of the person that has captured your heart?
Who do you love?
I'm still curious, who do you love?
Oh
This interjection does not convey any particular meaning in this context
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ellas McDaniel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind