Southside has long been considered the Grandfather of "the New Jersey Sound." Jon bon Jovi has acknowledged Southside as "his reason for singing." In 1982 the Rolling Stone Magazine voted the album Hearts of Stone among the top 100 albums of the 70's and 80's. In 1987, Southside and the Jukes were featured in the film Adventures in Babysitting performing at a college frat party.
Since 2001 Southside Johnny and the Jukes have toured the UK and Europe as an annual event, their first since the 1992 Better Days tour. His most recent album is Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits (2008).
This Time It's for Real
Southside Johnny Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've come too far to ever turn back now
I've spent my whole life working
Working so hard for it, yes I did
Baby, I changed the odds today
Gonna push the scales, baby, till they tilt my way
Pass that bottle, deal the cards
You can say what you want to
But there ain't nothing gonna change my mind
Baby, this time it's for real
I know, I know it, baby
This time it's for real
It's got to be real, baby
The time has come and I've paid the bill
I'll keep the glass raised 'till my cup is filled
I'm gonna keep on shaking
'Till it all comes tumblin' down
Yes I will, baby
Baby, don't give me no advice
Gonna shoot it all, baby, on a roll of the dice
When you start with nothing
You ain't got nothing to lose
Listen, baby
Well you can do what you want to
But there ain't nothing gonna stop me now
Baby, this time it's for real
I know, I know it baby
This time it's for real
I said, said come on
Got to be, baby
You can stay if you want to
It don't make a bit of difference to me
Baby, this time it's for real
I know, I know it baby
This time it's for real
I know it's got to be real now
I know it this time, baby
I know it, come on, baby
I know, I know, I know it
Baby, this time it's for real
I know it's got to be real
Got to be, got to be real
I know it
It's got to be, got to be real
The lyrics of Southside Johnny's song This Time It's for Real tell a story of determination and self-belief. The singer sings about how he has come too far in life to turn back now and how he has worked so hard for what he has achieved. He feels that he has changed the odds in his favor and will keep pushing until he gets what he wants. He is not going to wait for anyone or anything anymore and believes that nothing can change his mind. He is confident that this time, it's for real, and it's got to be real. He has paid the bill and will keep shaking until everything comes tumbling down. He is not seeking advice and is willing to shoot it all on a roll of the dice. He knows that when he starts with nothing, he has nothing to lose, and he is determined to make it work.
The lyrics of This Time It's for Real are an inspiring call to action for anyone who wants to achieve their dreams, no matter how hard it may seem. It's a song about believing in oneself and pushing forward despite the odds. The lyrics are delivered in Southside Johnny's trademark bluesy style, and the song is a classic of the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, you can't slow me down
I am unstoppable and no one can hinder my progress
I've come too far to ever turn back now
I have worked tirelessly to get to this point and I won't let anything or anyone hold me back
I've spent my whole life working
I have dedicated my entire life towards achieving my goals
Baby, I changed the odds today
I have taken a turn in my favor and everything looks bright for me now
Gonna push the scales, baby, till they tilt my way
I will work harder than ever before to ensure that everything goes in my favor
Pass that bottle, deal the cards
I am ready to take risks and face any challenges that come my way
'Cause I ain't waiting no more, no more
I'm done waiting for my chance and I'm going to create it for myself
You can say what you want to
You may have your opinions, but they won't affect me and my journey
But there ain't nothing gonna change my mind
I am determined and nothing can shake my resolve
Baby, this time it's for real
This time, I'm not just dreaming but actually making things happen
The time has come and I've paid the bill
I have put in the hard work and suffered enough setbacks to finally achieve success
I'll keep the glass raised 'till my cup is filled
I will celebrate every small win along the way until I reach my ultimate goal
I'm gonna keep on shaking
I won't stop striving for more and will keep pushing myself to greater heights
'Till it all comes tumblin' down
I won't stop until I reach the very top, even if I have to start all over again
Baby, don't give me no advice
I don't need any advice because I'm confident in my ability to make the right decisions
Gonna shoot it all, baby, on a roll of the dice
I'm willing to take big risks and bet everything on myself
When you start with nothing
I have faced many challenges and obstacles but started from scratch to get where I am
You ain't got nothing to lose
When you have nothing, you can only go up and that's where I'm headed
You can stay if you want to
I don't care about what others do or think, I'll keep doing me
It don't make a bit of difference to me
I am focused and determined to succeed regardless of other people's opinions or actions
I know it's got to be real now
I have worked hard and overcome obstacles to finally reach my goals, and it's real!
I know it this time, baby
I am sure that this time, things are going to work out for me
Got to be, baby
I have to succeed this time, there's no other option
It's got to be, got to be real
I've been through a lot and worked hard to get here, so success has to be real
I know it
I am sure and confident about my journey and my abilities
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN VAN ZANDT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@oppothumbs1
Great windup (intro) to the song. I guess in my mind the song sounded more stereophonic than this one but don't mean to complain it's just Youtube. The first song I heard from Johnny and Little Steven wrote it. The best song Steve wrote for Johnny is It's Been a long Time.
Southside Johnny: We lived in a time and a world of our own
Making up the rules as we went along
Steven Van Zandt: Just one coat between us and we never felt cold
We were never gonna get old
Bruce Springsteen: Playing cards 'till the sun came up, rolling dice
Down to the club and listening to the blues all night
Southside Johnny: Girls out on the corner get lonely now and then
Van Zandt and Springsteen: We'd never be that free again
@smokinjz
Baby, you can't slow me down
I've come too far to ever turn back now
I've spent my whole life working
Working so hard for it, yes I did
Baby, I changed the odds today
Gonna push the scales, baby, till they tilt my way
Pass that bottle, deal the cards
'Cause I ain't waiting no more, no more
You can say what you want to
But there ain't nothing gonna change my mind
Baby, this time it's for real
I know, I know it, baby
This time it's for real
It's got to be real, baby
The time has come and I've paid the bill
I'll keep the glass raised 'till my cup is filled
I'm gonna keep on shaking
'Till it all comes tumblin' down
Yes I will, baby
Baby, don't give me no advice
Gonna shoot it all, baby, on a roll of the dice
When you start with nothing
You ain't got nothing to lose
Listen, baby
Well you can do what you want to
But there ain't nothing gonna stop me now
Baby, this time it's for real
I know, I know it baby
This time it's for real
I said, said come on
Got to be, baby
You can stay if you want to
It don't make a bit of difference to me
Baby, this time it's for real
I know, I know it baby
This time it's for real
I know it's got to be real now
I know it this time, baby
I know it, come on, baby
I know, I know, I know it
Baby, this time it's for real
I know it's got to be real
Got to be, got to be real
I know it
It's got to be, got to be real
@kathymadden2083
THANK YOU- Who on earth couldn't jam to this????????
@oliversarmy80
What a great song in the sense that it may be one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Great vocals, great horns, really great drumming. Catchy at every turn.
@oppothumbs1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqgYBRF9Qjs another catchy song from Stevie and Bruce and Southside.
@lilyofthevalley5586
I love this band and song so much!
@timothylyons6546
This song IS the Jersey Shore sound.....full blast blowin' the doors off!!! Thank you to Miami Steve....
@jameswhitney2450
Really good!
@alleykitty2131
Super catchy! Just a simply awesome song!!!
@andyinoregon
Southside Johnny Lyon. So gritty, so good!
@The19bikerbabe53
Seventies live on !
@oppothumbs1
Great windup (intro) to the song. I guess in my mind the song sounded more stereophonic than this one but don't mean to complain it's just Youtube. The first song I heard from Johnny and Little Steven wrote it. The best song Steve wrote for Johnny is It's Been a long Time.
Southside Johnny: We lived in a time and a world of our own
Making up the rules as we went along
Steven Van Zandt: Just one coat between us and we never felt cold
We were never gonna get old
Bruce Springsteen: Playing cards 'till the sun came up, rolling dice
Down to the club and listening to the blues all night
Southside Johnny: Girls out on the corner get lonely now and then
Van Zandt and Springsteen: We'd never be that free again