Shortly after that, with Kenny's assistance, Joan formed the backing group "The Blackhearts" with three obscure New York area musicians: Gary Ryan on bass, Eric Ambel (replaced shortly thereafter by Rick Byrd) on guitar and Lee Crystal on drums. After almost a year of touring, Joan's first album with The Blackhearts, entitled I Love Rock'N'Roll came out in December of 1981. The album included a version of "Little Drummer Boy" on the pre-Christmas editions. The album's impact on the music scene was immediate with the LP reaching the Top Five, while the single "I Love Rock'n'Roll" hit the very top of the Billboard's Charts on March 20, 1982 and stayed #1 for 7 weeks. Joan Jett had come back from nowhere.
A string of Top 40 hits followed, as well as sellout tours with The Police, Queen, and Aerosmith, among others. Jett was the second American act of any kind to perform behind the Iron Curtain, the first one being Blood, Sweat & Tears in Romania in 1969. She was among the first English-speaking rock acts to appear in Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Forced label changes in the 80's led to a decline in popularity. Despite the follow-up albums "Album" and "Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth" being praised by her devout fans, neither got the attention or radio play the first two albums received.
After receiving her own MTV New Year's Eve special, Jett beat out a number of contenders to appear in the movie Light of Day with Michael J. Fox. It was about this time that Ryan and Crystal left the Blackhearts. They were soon replaced by the powerful rhythm section of Thommy Price and Kasim Sulton. Later that year, Jett released "Good Music", which featured appearances by The Beach Boys, The Sugarhill Gang and singer Darlene Love. The album only spawned two minor singles which received little airplay. This label decided the band had to either take in outside help or they would lose their contract.
And so they did. Her next release, Up Your Alley, went multi-platinum and was followed by "The Hit List", which was an international hit. Popular songwriter/producer Desmond Child was brought in, resulting in the release of album "Up Your Alley". This album brought the band a resurgence in popularity, with top 10 singles "I Hate Myself for Loving You" and "Little Liar".
This return to the spotlight would be short-lived, however. Follow-up album "The Hit List", an all-cover songs release, spawned only a minor hit with Jett's version of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds".
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts became the first rock band to perform a series of shows at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, breaking the record at the time for the fastest ticket sell-out ever.
1991 and 1994 had two more releases, "Notorious" and "Pure & Simple". But radio had started looking to grunge by this time, and neither album got the attention they deserved.
In the 1990s, Jett and Laguna released "Flashback", a compilation of her career so far on their own Blackheart Records. Her next release, "Notorious" (which featured The Replacements' Paul Westerberg) was the last with Sony/CBS as Jett switched to Warner Brothers.
In 1994, the Blackhearts released the well received Pure and Simple, which featured tracks written with Kat Bjelland (Babes in Toyland), Donita Sparks (L7) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill).
While a slew of hits packages, some with an occasional new or previously unreleased track were released following this, it would be 10 years before a new studio album would appear.
This would be 2004's "Naked", and thus far has been a Japan-only release. The album sees Jett returning to a more raw and experimental sound, closer to that of her first 4 releases than the polished material that began with "Good Music".
Failing to get "Naked" released in other markets, Jett released on a more international level "Sinner" in June 2006, on Blackheart Records, her own label.. This album featured many remixed tracks from "Naked", and a complete rewrite of "Stuck in the Middle" to new version "Riddles". Lead-off single and video was a cover of "A.C.D.C." by Sweet.
To support the album, the band appeared on the 2006 Warped Tour, and embarked on a Fall 2006 tour with Eagles of Death Metal.
After a long break from recording, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released a 6-song EP of new material, "Mindsets," in June 2023.
Wynnewood
Light of Day
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two, three, four
Well, I've been out of the woods for six days and nights now
And I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling all right now
I got some money in my pocket
And I won't need a ride, yeah
[Chorus]
Well, I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost down along the way
Well, I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Driving 500 miles, got 500 to go, yeah
I've got a rock'n roll music on my radio
I've got a brother on the rig just off the gulf coast
He says the girls down there are really the most, yeah
Well I'm a little tired out but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost along the way
But I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Well, I got thrown out of work on the Kokomo
Well, don't ask me what I'm doing, cause I don't know, yeah
Only hear you wasn't joking when you wrote me that letter
Things can't get worse so they gotta get better
[Chorus]
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Oh yeah [Repeat: x4]
The song "Light of Day" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is an upbeat rock song about feeling free and alive after being lost in the woods. The singer of the song has been out of the woods for six days and nights and is a little hot wired but is feeling alright. They have some money in their pocket and don't need a ride because they have a big Jag car and a baby by their side. The chorus repeats the line, "I'm just around the corner till the light of day," which gives listeners the idea that the singer is moving forward and embracing life.
The second verse talks about driving 500 miles with 500 more to go. The singer has rock 'n' roll music on the radio and a brother working on a rig off the gulf coast who tells them that the girls down there are really the most. The singer is a little tired but feeling okay and has gotten a little lost along the way. The bridge talks about getting thrown out of work on the Kokomo and not knowing what they are doing. However, the singer receives a letter that says things can't get worse, so they have to get better. The final chorus repeats the line, "I'm just around the corner till the light of day," four times, emphasizing the idea that the singer is looking forward to a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two
Counting off in preparation to play music
One, two, three, four
Starting the song with a musical cue
Well, I've been out of the woods for six days and nights now
I've been away from a sticky situation for some time
And I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling allright now
I'm feeling charged but in a good way now
I got some money in my pocket
I have cash with me
And I won't need a ride, yeah
I don't need a lift
I got a big Jag car and a baby by my side, yeah
I have a luxury car and a partner with me
[Chorus]
Repeating the chorus of the song
Well, I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling OK
I'm feeling charged but ok
And I got a little lost down along the way
I got disoriented on the trip
Well, I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm almost back to safety
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm almost back to safety
Driving 500 miles, got 500 to go, yeah
I'm in the middle of a long trip
I've got a rock'n roll music on my radio
I'm playing rock music while driving
I've got a brother on the rig just off the gulf coast
I have a brother working on an offshore rig
He says the girls down there are really the most, yeah
He told me there are lots of attractive women where he works
Well I'm a little tired out but I'm feeling OK
I'm a bit tired but still alright
And I got a little lost along the way
I got disoriented during the trip
But I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'll soon be in safety again
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm almost back to safety
Well, I got thrown out of work on the Kokomo
I lost my job at Kokomo
Well, don't ask me what I'm doing, cause I don't know, yeah
I don't know what I'm doing
Only hear you wasn't joking when you wrote me that letter
I realize you were serious when you sent me that letter
Things can't get worse so they gotta get better
Things can only improve from here
[Chorus]
Repeating the chorus of the song
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm almost back to safety
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm almost back to safety
Oh yeah [Repeat: x4]
Ending the song with a repeated exclamation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Natty Films
One, two
One, two, three, four
Well, I've been out of the woods for six days and nights now
And I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling all right now
I got some money in my pocket
And I won't need a ride, yeah
I got a big Jag car and a baby by my side, yeah
Well, I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost down along the way
Well, I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Driving five hundred miles, got 500 to go, yeah
I've got a rock 'n' roll music on my radio
I've got a brother on the rig just off the gulf coast
He says the girls down there are really the most, yeah
Well I'm a little tired out but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost along the way
But I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Well, I got thrown out of work on the Kokomo
Well, don't ask me what I'm doing, cause I don't know, yeah
Only hear you wasn't joking when you wrote me that letter
Things can't get worse so they gotta get better
Well I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost down along the way
But I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Cornell Green
Well, I've been out of the woods for six days and nights now
And I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling all right now
I got some money in my pocket and I won't need a ride, yeah
I got a big cherry car and a baby by my side, yeah
Well, I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost down along the way
Well, I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Driving five hundred miles, got 500 to go, yeah
I've got a rock 'n' roll music on my radio
I've got a brother on a rig just off the gulf coast
He says the girls down there well they're really the most, yeah
Well I'm a little tired out but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost along the way
But I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Well, I got thrown out of work on the Kokomo
Well, don't ask me what I'm doing, cause I don't know, yeah
Oh, but he wasn't joking when he wrote me that letter
Things can't get worse so they gotta get better
Well I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling OK
And I got a little lost down along the way
But I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
OutOfTheirSkulls
Joans facial expressions and eye movement are priceless. You can tell she's into it.
grahamjarman
good song
rockvilleraven
@grahamjarman Written by Bruce Spingsteen, it was a medium sized hit going to number #33 on the Billboard charts was billed as Joan Jett and the Barbusters. Joan Jett usually does this one in Concert with the Blackhearts
ChandlerBing
Always
Sunspot Dawn
Joan jett is the springsteen in springsteen.....and shes really TALL!!!
ElegantSpud
That entire movie I could not take my eyes off Joan. So much screen presence, so much charisma. I got a chance to see her live a bunch of times in the late eighties and nineties and she had that same charisma on stage every time. She IS rock ‘n’ roll.
Tracey Homan
She did such a great job!
Stephen Espy
Joan Jett! She Rocks! 🎸🎤🎶🎵
Gina Lahue
ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SONG!!! ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITE MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIES! JOAN JETT ROCKED IN THIS! (Sorry for the caps...just love this song!)
Court Beall
What a kickass driving tune.It,s a pleasure to play on drums and withstands the test of time.My buddy Paul PJ Harkins,rocking this out on drums in the movie.