In 1976 at the age of 17 she became one of the founding members of the legendary teenage all-female hard rock band The Runaways. There she played lead guitar.
After the group folded in 1979, she began a solo career. Her guitar playing was well respected amongst her peers, both when she was a member of The Runaways and as a solo act. When she had the material to back her up, Ford was inarguably capable of rocking out aggressively and assertively, and more times than not, better than the best of her male counterparts. Her first two albums, Out for Blood and Dancin' on the Edge were relatively successful, and in 1985, Ford was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance for "Gotta Let Go", along with Wendy O. Williams and Pia Zadora. However the musical genre of "arena metal rock" had already crested and was now beginning its decline in the second half of the 1980s.
Nothing was heard from Ford for the next four years; a follow-up to Dancin' on the Edge, titled The Bride Wore Black, was abandoned and never released, as Ford switched from Mercury Records to RCA Records. By the time Ford returned again, the lighter pop-metal she had long favored had broken through to mainstream audiences, which set the stage for her most commercially successful album, 1988's Lita. With Sharon Osbourne as her manager, and slickly produced by Mike Chapman, the album featured Ford's first commercial hit, the #12 "Kiss Me Deadly". Its follow-up ballad, a duet with Ozzy Osbourne entitled "Close My Eyes Forever", provided both artists with their first Top Ten single.
Lita Ford is back with a vengeance! Her new album Wicked Wonderland is due for release October 6th 2009. More information can be found on her My Space profile: Lita Ford Official My Space Profile
Gotta Let Go
Lita Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll make it carry everyone along
You bought a ticket to our surprise attack
You came to rock and there's no turning back
Don't you want to be the main attraction
All you need's a little chain reaction
If you want to set the night on fire
Yeah, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
Uh, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Don't try to fight it
Just give me all you got
You can't control it when it gets this hot
It's like this jungle, bye-bye to modern man
We're talkin' rock you'll never understand
It doesn't matter if the world's exploding
It doesn't matter where the night is going
If you want to set the night on fire
But, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
You gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
I'm gettin' ready
Nobody's gonna stop me
Can't ya, feel the fire burnin'
Now's the time to start rockin'
So if you want to be the main attraction
All you need's a little chain reaction
You and I can set the night on fire.
The lyrics to Lita Ford's "Gotta Let Go" are a call to action for rock fans. It's an anthem to the raw energy and power of rock and roll music. The opening verse speaks directly to the audience, describing the building excitement and the way that the music will carry everyone along. The second verse is a direct challenge, urging the listener to become the main attraction and create a reaction in others. The chorus, repeated multiple times throughout the song, emphasizes the need to let go and abandon oneself to the music, letting it inspire and drive the listener to new heights of excitement.
The lyrics of "Gotta Let Go" speak directly to the heart of what rock and roll is about: the primal attraction of sound and the energy of a live performance. The comparison of a rock concert to a jungle is apt, casting the performers and audience alike as wild animals lost in the frenzy of rhythm and sound. The message is clear: if you want to truly experience the magic of rock and roll, you have to be willing to let yourself go, to abandon your sense of self and revel in the pure energy of the music.
Overall, "Gotta Let Go" is an anthem to the raw power of rock and roll music, encouraging listeners to lose themselves in the experience and ride the wave of sound to new heights of excitement and passion.
Line by Line Meaning
You feel the power, you feel it getting strong
You sense the energy and strength building up inside of you
We'll make it carry everyone along
Together, we'll spread this feeling to everyone in the crowd
You bought a ticket to our surprise attack
You came to our show, knowing we'll shock you with an amazing performance
You came to rock and there's no turning back
You're here to enjoy some loud music and not leaving until the show is over
Don't you want to be the main attraction
Don't you want to be the center of attention for the night?
All you need's a little chain reaction
All you need is to follow the crowd and let yourself go with the flow
If you want to set the night on fire
If you want to make tonight an unforgettable experience
Yeah, you gotta let go
Yes, you need to release all your inhibitions and let yourself have fun
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
If you genuinely want to enjoy tonight's music, you need to let yourself loose
Don't try to fight it
Don't resist the urge to dance and enjoy the music
Just give me all you got
Make the most of the night and expend all your energy
You can't control it when it gets this hot
The excitement and heat of the moment may overwhelm you
It's like this jungle, bye-bye to modern man
The energy and chaos of this night breaks free from the constraints of civilization
We're talkin' rock you'll never understand
This is the kind of music that defies definition and explanation
It doesn't matter if the world's exploding
Even if chaos and destruction were happening in the world outside, it would not matter
It doesn't matter where the night is going
It doesn't matter what happens next, we're all in this moment together
I'm gettin' ready
I'm getting excited and prepared for the performance
Nobody's gonna stop me
No one can stop me from having fun and enjoying the night's music
Can't ya, feel the fire burnin'
Can't you feel the intense energy and excitement in the air?
Now's the time to start rockin'
It's the perfect moment to let loose and start rocking out
You and I can set the night on fire
Together, we can make tonight an explosive and unforgettable experience
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFF PARIS, LITA ROSSANA FORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
5zazen
"Gotta Let Go"
You feel the power, you feel it getting strong
We'll make it carry everyone along
You bought a ticket to our surprise attack
You came to rock and there's no turning back
Don't you want to be the main attraction
All you need's a little chain reaction
If you want to set the night on fire
Yeah, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
Uw, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Don't try to fight it
Just give me all you got
You can't control it when it gets this hot
It's like this jungle, bye-bye to modern man
We're talkin' rock you'll never understand
It doesn't matter if the world's exploding
It doesn't matter where the night is going
If you wanna set the night on fire
But, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
You gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
I'm gettin' ready
Nobody's gonna stop me
Can't ya, feel the fire burnin'
Now's the time to start rockin'
So if you want to be the main attraction
All you need's a little chain reaction
You and I can set the night on fire...
Now, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
Uw, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
You gotta let go
Aw, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
johnny zell
You feel the power, you feel it getting strong
We'll make it carry everyone along
You bought a ticket to our surprise attack
You came to rock and there's no turning back
Don't you want to be the main attraction
All you need's a little chain reaction
If you want to set the night on fire
Yeah, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
Uh, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Don't try to fight it
Just give me all you got
You can't control it when it gets this hot
It's like this jungle, bye-bye to modern man
We're talkin' rock you'll never understand
It doesn't matter if the world's exploding
It doesn't matter where the night is going
If you want to set the night on fire
But, you gotta let go
Yeah, you gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
Yeah, you gotta let go
You gotta let go
Well, you gotta let go if you really want to rock tonight
I'm gettin' ready
Nobody's gonna stop me
Can't ya, feel the fire burnin'
Now's the time to start rockin'
So if you want to be the main attraction
All you need's a little chain reaction
You and I can set the night on fire.
No Thx
Randy Castillo was the coolest looking and sounding drummer of all time. RIP
Kris Sisu
Agreed. Such a handsome, talented man. God bless him.
M G
Such an underrated song. First song from Lita Ford I remember as a solo act. Loved it.
4ytcomment
This is literally the first time I've heard this song and seen the video in over 30 years. Those were the good old days of music.
Jennifer Bass first channel
Love the guitar solo! Go Lita!!! rock on girl!
Dave A.
Just found this a while back had never heard it I love the lyrics.... it's just pure anthem!! π€
Hilano Carvalho
An unforgettable Metal music classic by Lita Ford ! In addition to the fact that she is gorgeous, she is the greatest female Metal guitar player of all time !
Robert Duke
Lita Ford is just great man, like wow man, I think she is the number one female rock legend of all time.
1984AP
Best Lita Ford song! `84 was the greatest year overall.
M F
Luscious Lita!! Sheβs the Queen of Rock!! The best