Bennie And The Jets
Paul Young Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight

So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they're so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh, Bennie she's really keen

She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
Bennie and the Jets

Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along

Where we fight




Our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong

Overall Meaning

The song "Bennie and the Jets" is a tribute to the glam rock movement that was popular in the 1970s. The lyrics describe a scene of wild and uninhibited dancing and abandon, as if the audience is caught up in the energy of the music. The opening lines, "Hey kids, shake it loose together, the spotlight's hitting something that's been known to change the weather," draws us in and sets the tone for a night of excitement and revelry.


The line "We'll kill the fatted calf tonight" is a biblical reference to a calf that was slaughtered to commemorate the return of the prodigal son in the New Testament. In this context, it suggests that tonight's performance is a celebration of something important, perhaps the liberation of youth culture from the constraints of traditional society.


The chorus of the song is catchy and memorable, featuring the repeated refrain "Bennie and the Jets". The lyrics describe the eponymous characters in surreal and fanciful terms, with the lines "She's got electric boots, a mohair suit, you know I read it in a magazine" emphasizing the glamor and flamboyance of these over-the-top characters.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey kids, shake it loose together
Young is urging the young people to come together and let loose.


The spotlight's hitting something
The spotlight has landed on something important and noteworthy.


That's been known to change the weather
This spotlight is so powerful that it can even change the weather.


We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
Young is celebrating something big tonight, and they're going all out.


So stick around
Young is asking the audience to stay around and listen.


You're gonna hear electric music
Young promises that the audience will be hearing electric music soon.


Solid walls of sound
The music will be loud and powerful.


Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
Young is asking if Candy and Ronnie have seen something or someone special.


But they're so spaced out, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie and the Jets are very unique and eccentric.


Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful
Young thinks that even though Bennie and the Jets may be weird, they are still wonderful.


Oh, Bennie she's really keen
Young notes that Bennie is very enthusiastic.


She's got electric boots, a mohair suit
Bennie has a unique sense of style.


You know I read it in a magazine
Young is sharing that he read about Bennie in a magazine.


Bennie and the Jets
Young repeats the song's title to emphasize the importance of these characters.


Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Young encourages the audience to connect with those who are typically disconnected or disengaged from mainstream society.


Maybe they're blinded
Faithless individuals might not see or understand the mainstream way of life.


But Bennie makes them ageless
Young implies that Bennie has a positive influence on people and makes them feel like they can exist beyond their time.


We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Young is urging people to endure and continue onward, no matter what happens.


Where we fight
Young acknowledges that there are disagreements and oppositions among the people.


Our parents out in the streets
Young is referring to the older generation, who are out in the streets protesting or causing a commotion.


To find who's right and who's wrong
The older generation is trying to determine which side is correct, but Young implies that there is no clear-cut answer.




Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions