Stealers Wheel was a British folk/rock band formed in Paisley, Scotland in … Read Full Bio ↴Stealers Wheel was a British folk/rock band formed in Paisley, Scotland in 1972 by former school friends Joe Egan (born 1944) and Gerry Rafferty (1947 - 2011). In the early 1970s, the band was considered to be the British version of American folk/rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They were initially joined by Roger Brown, Rab Noakes and Ian Campbell in 1972. However, that line-up only lasted a few months and by the time the band were signed to A&M Records later that same year, Brown, Noakes and Campbell had been replaced by Paul Pilnick, Tony Williams and Rod Coombes. This line-up recorded their eponymous debut album, Stealers Wheel and was produced by the influential American songwriters and producers Leiber & Stoller.The album 'Stealers Wheel' (1973), became a commercial success. It contains their biggest hit 'Stuck in the Middle with You'. Two more albums were released ('Ferguslie Park', 1974 and 'Right Or Wrong', 1975) before Rafferty and Egan broke up. It took several years to sort out the legal problems connected to their break-up. After that, Rafferty became a star with his hit 'Baker Street' from the album 'City to City' (1978).
Paul Pilnick's early career was promoted and managed by Mr George Roberts whilst Paul worked as lead guitarist for the band, "Vince & the Volcanoes", led by Mr Vincent Tow/Ismail;
(Vinnie was an early, informal & friend, guitar tutor to, Lennon & McCartney)
They all worked at and from Liverpool 8, 'granby' during and including 1959 to 1963 and from 54 Huskisson Street Liverpool 8.

Let Yourself Go
Stealers Wheel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was down and I was so hung up, drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup
Can't get out of the mood I'm in, waitin' for everybody to begin
Turn the wheel, come on we'll make me feel, just dig your heels, and we can fly

She made me get up right out my seat, made me get up and move my feet
She had me moving on down that line, everything was gonna work out fine
You and me, feelin' free, if you'll agree, maybe we can touch the sky

Never gonna stop, now we got the feel of it
And if you want, well, we can make a meal of it
Don't hold back, just let yourself go
We don't have to be afraid of it
And don't you know, well, we were made for it
Don't hold back, just let yourself go

Never gonna stop, now we got the feel of it
And if you want, well, we can make a meal of it
Don't hold back, just let yourself go
We don't have to be afraid of it
And don't you know, well, we were made for it
Don't hold back, just let yourself go

Oh, let yourself go, oh, let yourself go...

Don't hold back, just let yourself go
(I was down and I was so hung up, drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup...)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stealers Wheel's song "Let Yourself Go" suggest a sense of loneliness and a desire for escapism. The singer is stuck in a mood and waiting for others to join him in whatever he is seeking. He turns to drinking whiskey to try and change his mood, but it doesn't seem to be working. Enter a new character who makes him get up and move his feet, indicating that she helps him break out of his mood and find some sort of freedom. As the two dance together, everything starts to fall into place and the singer realizes that he doesn't have to hold back anymore. He encourages himself and his partner to just let go and embrace whatever it is they are feeling.

Line by Line Meaning

I was down and I was so hung up, drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup
Feeling low and miserable, drowning my sorrows in whiskey from a disposable cup

Can't get out of the mood I'm in, waitin' for everybody to begin
Unable to shake off my mood and waiting for others to start the fun

Turn the wheel, come on we'll make me feel, just dig your heels, and we can fly
Let's take control of the situation, get moving and let loose, and experience indescribable joy

She made me get up right out my seat, made me get up and move my feet
Someone inspired me to get up and dance with infectious energy

She had me moving on down that line, everything was gonna work out fine
Dancing together brought a sense of harmony and confidence that everything will work out well

You and me, feelin' free, if you'll agree, maybe we can touch the sky
Together, feeling liberated and alive, we can achieve incredible things if you're willing to join me

Never gonna stop, now we got the feel of it
Not going to stop now that we've gotten into the groove

And if you want, well, we can make a meal of it
If you're up for it, we can keep the good times going and take it to the next level

Don't hold back, just let yourself go
Don't be afraid to let loose and truly enjoy yourself

We don't have to be afraid of it
We have nothing to fear by letting ourselves go and having fun

And don't you know, well, we were made for it
This is what we were meant to do - have a great time and enjoy life

Oh, let yourself go, oh, let yourself go...
Allow yourself to be carried away by the music and let go of any worries or doubts

Don't hold back, just let yourself go
Repeat of the earlier message to let yourself truly enjoy the moment

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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