Formed in 1980, a lineup of Dan Baird (guitar, vocals) Rick Richards (guita… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 1980, a lineup of Dan Baird (guitar, vocals) Rick Richards (guitar), Dave Hewitt (bass), and Randy Delay (drums) recorded a six-track demo at Axis Studios in their local Atlanta, Georgia. Jeff Glixman, who had produced the likes of Paul Stanley and Kansas, was enlisted to produce. Soon after the demo was recorded, the band broke up in the summer of 1984.

However, while the band felt they weren't making any progress on their musical path and had moved on, their English manager took the demo to a small Yorkshire record label, Making Waves, who liked the material and released the demos as the "Keep The Faith" EP in 1985 (Kerrang #113). The press response to the EP was positive and prompted the band to reform in the US. Baird had been playing with the Woodpeckers in NC, while Richards remained in Atlanta with the Hell Hounds, who included both Mauro Magellon (drums) and Rick Price (bass). With Baird essentially joining the Hell Hounds the Satellites were reborn and American record labels started taking notice of the band.

By 1986 only Elektra Records were willing to sign the band, who then reunited with Glixman to record their debut full-length album at Axis Sound Studios in Atlanta. Their album, Georgia Satellites, was their most successful album to date, featuring the track "Keep Your Hands To Yourself". That song went all the way to #2 on the Billboard chart, topped only by Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer". It went into extremely heavy MTV rotation at the time. Other hits included "Battleship Chains" (#86) and "Can't Stand The Pain".

In 1988, the band recorded a cover of The Swinging Blue Jean's 1964 hit, "Hippy Hippy Shake" to the Tom Cruise movie soundtrack Cocktail. Released as a single the song made it to #45 on the Billboard chart. During the year the band released their second album "Open All Night," which infamously included a cover of the Ringo Starr song "Don't Pass Me By," though the album wouldn't build on the success of the debut. A single, "Open All Night" backed with "Dunk 'N' dine" failed to chart. A third studio album, "In The Land Of Salvation And Sin," was released in 1989, which included re-recordings of "Six Years Gone" and "Crazy" from the 1985 EP. Baird left the band in 1990 for a solo career when the album failed to find any commercial success.

Saddle Up
The Georgia Satellites Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want you to listen to me baby
I got a lot of things on my mind
Listen to me baby
I got a lot of things on my mind
Take a short look back
Just see what the hell we find

Now you can run high and low

Do what the hell you please
Run high, low,
Do what the hell you please
I got news for you baby,
Gone like the cool cool breeze

Well, Saddle Up
Turn it loose
Saddle up baby
And won't you turn it loose
I tried my best to stop you
Honey it ain't no use

With a cold wind blowin
In through my back door
Ice cold wind blowin
In through my back door
You keep telling everybody
You ain't mine no more

Saddle up
Turn it loose
Saddle up baby
And won't you turn it loose
I tried my best to stop you
Honey it ain't no use

Give me a brand new pony
Man you want to see us ride
Give me a brand new pony
Man you want to see us ride
She keep her daddy happy
But you sure keep us satisfied

Saddle up
Turn it loose
Saddle up baby, baby, baby

I tried my best to stop you
Honey it ain't no use

Overall Meaning

The Georgia Satellites' song "Saddle Up" is a catchy and passionate tune that captures the frustration and resignation of a man left by his woman. The singer addresses his ex-lover, telling her he has a lot of things on his mind and is considering the past to understand what happened. He is aware that she could do whatever she wants, but he still has news for her: she is gone like the cool breeze. The singer then tells her to saddle up and turn it loose, meaning he wants her to leave him alone and move on with her life. He admits he has tried his best to stop her, but it's no use.

The song's verses are straightforward in conveying the man's feelings. However, the chorus offers a bit more complexity. When the singer tells his ex to saddle up and turn it loose, he could be implying that she's the one who needs to leave and move forward. On the other hand, it could be his way of announcing that he's giving up on their troubled relationship and asking her to go on without him. The chorus also mentions a brand new pony, which could represent freedom or a new beginning.

Overall, "Saddle Up" is a quintessential Southern rock song with its raw guitar riffs and lyrics that tell it like it is. The song's passion and energy make it a true classic among Georgia Satellites fans.

Line by Line Meaning

I want you to listen to me baby
I have something important to say to you and I really hope you listen

I got a lot of things on my mind
There are many thoughts and concerns I have at this moment

Take a short look back, Just see what the hell we find
Let's quickly take a look at our past and see what we can learn from it

Now you can run high and low, Do what the hell you please
You are free to do whatever you want and go wherever you want

I got news for you baby, Gone like the cool cool breeze
I have something important to tell you, and it's that I'm gone like the cool breeze

Well, Saddle Up, Turn it loose
Get ready to take action and let loose

I tried my best to stop you, Honey it ain't no use
I've done my best to convince you, but it seems to be pointless

With a cold wind blowin, In through my back door
I am feeling cold and vulnerable

You keep telling everybody, You ain't mine no more
You keep telling people that we are no longer together, but it hurts me to hear it

Give me a brand new pony, Man you want to see us ride
If you give me a new opportunity, we will thrive and be unstoppable

She keep her daddy happy, But you sure keep us satisfied
While others make their dad happy, you make me happy and fulfilled