Tesla's music fit well with the blasting sounds of their 80s hair metal and glam rock contemporaries. Yet it was more bluesy and lyrics dealt with other themes than just the usual, girls, alcohol and violence. But what set them even more apart from their contemporaries was their t-shirt and jeans image, a 'street' look reminiscent of the Ramones (and other 70s punk groups) that was in strong contrast of the leather, spandex, and flashy-make type look of the time.
The band's early lifespan as City Kidd brought them considerable frustration, with them failing to break into the musical mainstream while also competing with another band with the same name. Their mutation into Tesla provided a clear shot at success. 'Mechanical Resonance', their debut that the boys released in 1986, became a commercial smash while also receiving significant critical praise. That album was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 5, 1989.
In total, the group has released six studio albums with original music, the latest of them being 2008's 'Forever More'. They have also created a a double-disc covers album, titled 'Real To Reel', as well as a number of compilations and live albums. Their sound has focused on a particularly melodic and accessible kind of hard rock with strong shades of classic heavy metal as well.
Tesla's popular 1990 remake of Signs, originally recorded by the Five Man Electrical Band (who also inspired the album which the remake came from, Five Man Acoustical Jam), is probably the most mainstream of Tesla's hits. However, many fans remember fondly Tesla's other hits such as Gettin' Better, Modern Day Cowboy, Little Suzi, Edison's Medicine and Love Song.
The band derived their name, certain album and song names (e.g. The Great Radio Controversy, Mechanical Resonance, etc), and some song content from events relating to Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer born in the 19th century in Smiljan, Austria-Hungary, modern day Croatia.
Need Your Lovin'
Tesla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feelin' you're the reason I won't be leavin' so
Love you in the evening, supper time and afternoon
Your days of happiness beside the month of June
Ooh, don't want my yesterday, to wake me up, slap me in the face
Ooh, don't let my yesterday, wrap you up and carry you away
Ooh I need your lovin', without you baby love don't mean nothing
January, and in March, February, June
Any day beside of that couldn't be too soon
My life without you babe is a heart that's torn
Season of love for you, storm without a warn
Ooh, didn't want my yesterday, woke me right up, and slapped me in the face
Ooh, you let my yesterday, wrap you right up and carry you away
Ooh I need your lovin', without you baby love don't mean nothing
Ooh I need your lovin', it's got to be your lovin' or nothing
Took all my yesterdays of sorrow, and threw them all away
Took all that I could take, or could borrow
'Cause today's yesterday, today is yesterday's tomorrow, whoa!
Ooh, go away my yesterday, can't take that much, I'll look it in the face
Ooh, wish all my yesterdays, would've packed it up and carried it away
Ooh I need your lovin', 'cause without you baby love don't mean nothing
Ooh I need your lovin', it's got to be your lovin' or nothing, whoa!
Ooh, ooh, ooh yeah, it's your love or nothing
Ooh, all I've got to say it must be your love or nothing
In the song Need Your Lovin', Tesla conveys a message of deep love and affection towards someone who is the main source of their happiness. The lyrics carry a sense of urgency and desperation as the singer emphasizes the importance of this person in their life. The repetition of "I need your lovin'" shows how the singer cannot survive without the love and companionship of their significant other, and how the feeling of loving and being loved brings meaning to their existence. The singer's devotion is unwavering - from morning to night, in all seasons - in a way that surpasses beyond the usual stereotypical displays of affection. Throughout the song, there is a theme of regret and a wish to forget the past, which is juxtaposed with the hope and promise of a future filled with love and happiness.
The first verse of the song, "I'll be lovin' you come morning, day to day, dusk to dawn, Feelin' you're the reason I won't be leavin' so," establishes the fact that the singer's love for the person is consistent and unwavering. The second verse, "January, and in March, February, June, Any day beside of that couldn't be too soon," reinforces the sense of urgency and need for the person's love. The bridge, "Took all my yesterdays of sorrow, and threw them all away, Took all that I could take, or could borrow, 'Cause today's yesterday, today is yesterday's tomorrow, whoa!" portrays a sense of letting go of the past and embracing the present, which is devoid of sorrow and filled with the love of this person.
Overall, the song Need Your Lovin' is a beautiful expression of love, devotion, and the importance of having someone who means everything to you. It is an upbeat and melodious tune that beautifully captures the essence of true love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be lovin' you come morning, day to day, dusk to dawn
I will love you unconditionally throughout each day of the year, from morning until nightfall.
Feelin' you're the reason I won't be leavin' so
I believe that our love is why I will never leave you.
Love you in the evening, supper time and afternoon
I cherish you at all times of the day, including evenings, meal times and afternoons.
Your days of happiness beside the month of June
June is the period of the year that signifies supreme joy and love for you.
Ooh, don't want my yesterday, to wake me up, slap me in the face
I don't want to be reminded of past regrets, as it would impact the current relationship negatively.
Ooh, don't let my yesterday, wrap you up and carry you away
I don't want my past failures to be a burden that you have to bear.
Ooh I need your lovin', without you baby love don't mean nothing
Your love is everything to me, without it, love in general does not hold value.
Ooh I need your lovin', it's got to be your lovin' or nothing
Your love is the only kind of love that I need, anything else is not enough.
January, and in March, February, June
I will love you every month of the year, including January, February, March, and June.
Any day beside of that couldn't be too soon
I can't wait for any other day to profess my love, as it must be done as soon as possible.
My life without you babe is a heart that's torn
My existence without you is like an injured and broken heart.
Season of love for you, storm without a warn
The feeling of love is bright and constant for you, but it also has moments of chaos that come out of nowhere.
Took all my yesterdays of sorrow, and threw them all away
I have decided to forget all of the painful memories of my past and move forward with you.
Took all that I could take, or could borrow
I have learned from my past mistakes, and have learned to take what I can and find resources when needed.
'Cause today's yesterday, today is yesterday's tomorrow, whoa!
Today is the past's tomorrow, which highlights how quick time passes by in this life.
Ooh, go away my yesterday, can't take that much, I'll look it in the face
I can't bear to deal with the memories of my past for long, but when I do face them, I do so head-on.
Ooh, wish all my yesterdays, would've packed it up and carried it away
I wish that my past would just disappear, so that it doesn't continue to negatively affect my current experiences.
Ooh I need your lovin', 'cause without you baby love don't mean nothing
Your love is the meaning behind love itself, as it brings me purpose and value.
Ooh I need your lovin', it's got to be your lovin' or nothing, whoa!
Your love is the only love that I need, as anything else is insignificant.
Ooh, ooh, ooh yeah, it's your love or nothing
It must be your love or nothing, as nothing else holds value.
Ooh, all I've got to say it must be your love or nothing
I can only say that I want your love, as anything else is not enough.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFF KEITH, TOM SKEOCH, TROY LUCKETTA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Whiskey Vixen
Hands down, one of the most underrated bands ever. I just don't get how such a talented band can slip through the cracks of time, just like that. Grunge killed the 80's rock star...
Brett Jones
Not Tesla. Drugs killed the others
Stanley House
‘Bust a nut’, what a great album - we need more of these tracks in the live set!
Kandi Crawford
Jeff Keith is just one of those voices that is a cut above the rest.....love this band.....timeless 💞 ✌ 🎵
Matthew Rogers
If he can stay away from coke
Matthew Rogers
Hell yeah needs to lay off the drugs his nose is all flared and looked coked out in I love you cover song
Tom Kennedy
you are so right. I love them
Too Wild
I don't think these guys wrote one bad song.
Justin White
I can agree with that!
Jav C
@Garrett Bonneville c'mon, as great as Tesla are they did not sell nearly enough records or have nearly enough smash hit songs to justify them headlining arenas. Tesla can headline the small theatre that holds about 2,000 but they have to be reduced to an opening act is larger venues.
if Tesla is perfectly content with that situation you should be as well.