Start Me Up
Sebastian Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop
I've been running hot
You got me ticking gonna blow my top
If you start me up
If you start me up I'll never stop

You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine

If you start me up
Kick on the starter give it all you got, you got.
I can't compete with the riders in the other heats
If you rough it up
If you like it you can slide it up, slide it up

You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry
My eyes dilate, my lips go green
My hands are greasy
She's a mean, mean machine.

Start me up
Start me up
Start me up

You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Ride like the wind at double speed
I'll take you places that you've never, never seen
Start it up

You, you, you make a grown man cry




You, you, you make a dead man come
You, you, you make a dead man come

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Sebastian's song Start Me Up carry a strong message of passion and an unquenchable fire that threatens to consume the singer. He is singing to a significant person in his life - perhaps a lover or someone who inspires him - urging them to ignite his inner fire and give him the impetus to unleash his creative energy. The repetition of the line 'If you start me up, I'll never stop' emphasises the intensity of the emotion he is experiencing and the unstoppable nature of his artistry. He speaks of how he has been 'running hot', indicating that he is primed and ready to explode with creative ideas and energy.


The second verse of the song speaks about the profound effect this person has on him. He says that this person 'makes a grown man cry', indicating that their power over him is so strong that he is moved to tears. He goes on to describe the physical manifestation of his intense emotion: his eyes dilate, his lips go green and his hands become greasy. The final verse of the song paints a vivid picture of the singer as a rider on a powerful, mean machine, hurtling at breakneck speed through uncharted territory. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for his creative energy, which he feels has been unleashed by the person he is singing to.


* The song was released in 1981 by the Rolling Stones as one of their biggest hits.
* It was co-written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
* The song is ranked as the 22nd greatest rock and roll songs of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
* Start Me Up was originally intended to be a reggae song.
* This was the first Rolling Stones song to premiere on a television commercial: it was used in a Computer ad in 1995.
* This song was played in a tribute to the recently deceased Princess Diana during the Rolling Stones' 1997 Bridges to Babylon Tour.
* It was used as the main title for the 2012 Marvel film "The Avengers".
* This song has been covered by musicians such as Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and Nickelback.
* Start Me Up was performed by the Rolling Stones during the halftime show of Super Bowl XL in 2006.
* The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1982.


Chords: G-D-G-D-F-C-G-D (Verse)
G-D-G-D-C-D-G-D (Chorus)


Line by Line Meaning

If you start me up
The singer is emphasizing that he needs to be agitated to start functioning.


If you start me up I'll never stop
Once the singer is in the correct mindset, he'll continue to be productive for as long as he wants to be.


I've been running hot
The singer has been enthusiastic and passionate lately.


You got me ticking gonna blow my top
The people surrounding the singer have pushed him to his limits and he's about to lose control.


You make a grown man cry
The singer is saying that his female companion can make him feel emotions so strongly that he'll cry.


Spread out the oil, the gasoline I walk smooth, ride in a mean, mean machine
The singer describes himself as a powerful being using a metaphor comparing himself to a machine that works really well when he's fueled up.


Kick on the starter give it all you got, you got.
The singer is urging his companion to push him to his limits.


I can't compete with the riders in the other heats
The singer feels that he's not as capable as the rest of the competition.


If you rough it up If you like it you can slide it up, slide it up
The singer is explaining that he likes to live life on the edge, and if his companion likes it too, she can live it up with him.


Don't make a grown man cry
The singer doesn't want his companion to make him feel emotions so strongly that he'll cry.


My eyes dilate, my lips go green My hands are greasy She's a mean, mean machine.
The singer is describing his companion as a sexy, confident woman, while he becomes nervous and agitated around her.


Ride like the wind at double speed I'll take you places that you've never, never seen
The singer is saying that he's daring, and he will show his companion new experiences that she's never even heard of.


Start it up
The singer is reiterating that he's ready to be pushed and to start whatever adventure is to come.


You, you, you make a grown man cry You, you, you make a dead man come
The singer's companion has such a powerful effect on him that she can make him cry, or even feel a sexual release like a dead person coming back to life.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@yuaninaustria3379

Sebastian my idol 2005😊😊

@annikaowen

Det är ju Sebastian också! ;)

@saraheringdal

Jag saknar den här juryn...

@emilaslund3605

Show.

@shuufie

Hur i helvete kunde nasal Agnes vinna över honom?

@karolinepettersson8063

För att folk tyckte att hon sjöng vinnarlåten bättre, kanske.

@noctambule5726

De 4 första åren vann varannat kön för att det skulle vara jämställt. Han var den egentliga vinnaren och har inte setts på snart 10 år.

@Brokenintwoarms

@@noctambule5726 Sebastian blev utbränd och tröttnade på kändisskapet och drog därför sig undan från rampljuset. Det var ett medvetet val, och inte för att Sebastian saknar talang. Agnes har ju heller inte synts på nästan 10 år, men där vet jag inte orsaken

@fisspa

@@Brokenintwoarms
Har Agnes inte setts på 10 år?😂 Vilken sten har du levt under?

@Brokenintwoarms

@@fisspa Agnes försvann efter 2013 och syntes inte lika mycket på flera år. Jag har dock noterat att hon gjort en comeback med ny musik som spelats flitigt.

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