Take the Money and Run
Steve Miller Band Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hoo-hoo
This here's a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue
Two young lovers with nothin' better to do
Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube
And here's what happened when they decided to cut loose
They headed down to, ooh, old El Paso
That's where they ran into a great big hassle
Billy Joe shot a man while robbing his castle
Bobbie Sue took the money and run

Hoo-hoo-hoo
Go on, take the money and run
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo-hoo-hoo
Go on, take the money and run
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo-hoo-hoo

Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas
You know he knows just exactly what the facts is
He ain't gonna let those two escape justice
He makes his livin' off of the people's taxes
Bobbie Sue, whoa, whoa, she slipped away
Billy Joe caught up to her the very next day

They got the money, hey, you know they got away
They headed down south and they're still running today
Singin'

Go on, take the money and run
Go on, take the money and run
Hoo-hoo-hoo
Go on, take the money and run
Ooh lord, go on, take the money and run
Hoo-hoo-hoo

Yeah, yeah, go on, take the money and run, yeah (yeah)
Hoo-hoo-hoo
Go on, take the money and run
Ooh lord, go on, take the money and run, yeah (yeah)
Hoo-hoo-hoo




Go on, take the money and run
Ooh lord

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Take the Money and Run" by Steve Miller Band tell the story of two lovers, Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue, who decide to cut loose and go on a robbery spree. They head down to old El Paso where they run into some trouble and end up robbing a man's castle, with Billy Joe shooting the man in the process. Bobbie Sue takes the money and they run away, with Detective Billy Mack hot on their trail.


The song seems to glorify the idea of taking risks and breaking the law, as the chorus encourages the couple to "go on, take the money and run". However, the final verses suggest that there are consequences for their actions as they can never settle down and are forced to keep running. Detective Billy Mack represents the law and order that they try to escape.


Overall, the song is a catchy and upbeat story about young love and rebellion, but behind the fun melody, there is a hint of cautionary tale about the consequences of our choices.


Line by Line Meaning

Hoo-hoo
Steve Miller Band opens the song with a chorus of playful yelps, which serve as an introduction to the story of Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue.


This is a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue
The song follows the tale of two young lovers, who have nothing to do except get high and watch TV around the house.


Two young lovers with nothin' better to do
Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue are a classic example of young love, without any particular direction or purpose in mind.


Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube
The two lovers are content with indulging in their favorite pastime: smoking marijuana and watching television.


And here is what happened when they decided to cut loose
The song builds up to the point where the lovers decide to take some action, and the story gets more exciting from here on.


They headed down to, ooh, old El Paso
The young couple set out for the city of El Paso, Texas, as they wanted to experience a change of scenery.


That's where they ran into a great big hassle
Almost immediately upon arriving in El Paso, the couple encountered a significant obstacle in their path.


Billy Joe shot a man while robbing his castle
In a moment of recklessness, Billy Joe ended up firing his gun while robbing someone's house, resulting in a violent encounter.


Bobbie Sue took the money and run
Bobbie Sue, who was with Billy Joe during the robbery, decided to take the money and flee the scene.


Hoo-hoo-hoo, go on, take the money and run
The chorus repeats the phrase 'take the money and run', urging Bobbie Sue to abscond with the cash and make herself scarce.


Go on, take the money and run
The song's title and refrain, repeated throughout the chorus, continues to encourage Bobbie Sue to take the loot and escape.


Hoo-hoo-hoo, billy Mack is a detective down in Texas
The song takes a humorous turn when it introduces Billy Mack, a detective in Texas who is tasked with tracking down the robbers.


You know he knows just exactly what the facts is
Billy Mack is a seasoned detective who has a keen understanding of what actually happened during the robbery.


He ain't gonna let those two escape justice
Billy Mack is determined to catch the robbers and make sure they are punished for their crime.


He makes his livin' off of the people's taxes
The song describes how Billy Mack's salary comes from the taxes paid by the very same people he is trying to protect from robbers.


Bobbie Sue, whoa, whoa, she slipped away
Despite Billy Mack's best efforts, Bobbie Sue managed to slip away from his grasp and is now on the run.


Billy Joe caught up to her the very next day
Billy Joe, who was left behind after Bobbie Sue fled the scene, managed to catch up with her the next day.


They got the money, hey, you know they got away
The lovers managed to get hold of the money and are currently on the run, with no one to stop them.


They headed down south and they're still running today
The lovers decided to flee towards the south, and are still running to this day to avoid being caught by the authorities.


Singin' go on take the money and run
The song returns to its chorus, repeating the catchphrase 'take the money and run' to pay homage to the lovers' daring escape.


Oh lord, go on, take the money and run
The song repeats its chorus a few more times, reinforcing its central message of encouraging Bobbie Sue to take the money and run.


Hey, yeah, go on, take the money and run, yeah (yeah)
Steve Miller Band adds a bit of flair as the song draws to a close, urging Bobbie Sue once more to take the money and make her getaway.


Hoo-hoo-hoo, go on, take the money and run
The song's final chorus repeats the title phrase, offering a final burst of encouragement for Bobbie Sue to abscond with the spoils of the robbery.


Oh lord, go on, take the money and run, yeah (yeah)
The song draws to a close with a final repetition of the chorus, once more nudging Bobbie Sue to make her escape.


Hoo-hoo-hoo, go on, take the money and run, oh lord
The last line of the song repeats the chorus one final time with a heartfelt plea for Bobbie Sue to make her escape.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Steve Miller

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Eintopf

I found this CD from my father and decided to listen to it. I never knew my father had such a cool side. I love it.

kkinghomes

Went looking for this CD and found out my 21 year old daughter had it! Good rock n roll never dies!

David Steinert

Decades later and this greatest hits album is still introducing new generations to one of mankind's greatest inventions, rock n roll.

Matt Byrd

I remember being in the car with my mom when I was 4 or 5 and steve miller's greatest hits would be playing all the time! Still love it to this day.

Ellis Barrett

Brings back memories of being young and out of control...Love this song.

whoRthoseGuys

Yes.

Paulpp Christman

KICKASS TUNE ! My favorite Steve Miller song. Odd that it didn't make the top ten although "Rockin' Me" hit # 1 and "Fly Like An Eagle" reached # 2 that same year 1976 and they were all on the same album. Saw the band in concert in summer 1977. Terrific !!!

Don Winslow

#FlyEaglesFly It it used to our theme song!!

SirTalksAlot496

I recently learned to play this song on the drums. It is such a fun yet simple song to play and sounds great. Definitely a great classic 👍

Reuter 282

The intro?!?! I've been working on this for weeks lol it's hard

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