Nervous Night
The Hooters Lyrics


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Nervous night, time on my hands
Private invasion of the promised land
Two on the run, that's you and me
Maybe we can make it through this emergency

Oh, nervous night
African queen, we said so many things we didn't mean
Maybe another day, maybe it'd be alright
Oh, nervous night

Right outside, shiny and clean
A million vegetables I must be dreaming on my
Window ledge, can I crawl through
Look out, look out below, I'm coming for you

Oh nervous night...
I try to speak, my senses fail
But you're just laughing while the sirens wail
All around the world in the Globe Hotel
If Isabella has her way it's gonna be a nervous day as well...





Oh, nervous night

Overall Meaning

The Hooters' song "Nervous Night" is a reflection of the fears and anxieties that come along with the darkness. In the first stanza of the song, the singer feels the burden of time on their hands and is suddenly invaded by a private invasion of the promised land. The situation forces them to run with another person, presumably their partner, in hopes of making it through the emergency together. The second verse paints a scene of a dream-like world outside, with a window ledge in which the singer wants to crawl out of. However, amidst the chaos and confusion, the African queen makes an appearance and suddenly all the things they had said prior don't seem to matter anymore.


Throughout the song, the singer experiences a sense of desperation and futility in trying to communicate during the "nervous night". With every passing second, the tension has a mounting effect, with the sirens blaring away. The mention of the Globe Hotel in the final line creates a sense of global reach to the unease that is felt, as Isabella contributes to the ongoing nervous day.


In conclusion, "Nervous Night" is a reflection of the kind of paranoia and anxiety that is felt when one is alone and vulnerable in the darkness. The mention of an "emergency" instills a sense of urgency in the two individuals to make it through the night by sticking together. However, it is the sense of daze and confusion in the heightened state of tension that permeates throughout the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Nervous night, time on my hands
I am anxious and restless, with nothing to do and a lot of time on my hands.


Private invasion of the promised land
I feel like an intruder in a place where I should be welcome and safe.


Two on the run, that's you and me
We are both running away from something or someone, together.


Maybe we can make it through this emergency
We will rely on each other and hope to survive this crisis.


Oh, nervous night
A repeated emphasis on my current state of anxiety and unease.


African queen, we said so many things we didn't mean
We had a disagreement earlier and said hurtful things that we now regret.


Maybe another day, maybe it'd be alright
Perhaps we can resolve our issues in the future and move on from this bad situation.


Right outside, shiny and clean
Outside looks pristine and perfect, a stark contrast to the chaos inside.


A million vegetables I must be dreaming on my Window ledge, can I crawl through
I am so out of it that I'm hallucinating, and I even consider climbing out the window to escape.


Look out, look out below, I'm coming for you
I am determined to survive and rescue my companion, no matter what.


I try to speak, my senses fail
I want to communicate, but my fear overrides my ability to think clearly.


But you're just laughing while the sirens wail
My companion finds my anxiety amusing or they're not taking our situation seriously, despite the danger.


All around the world in the Globe Hotel
This chaos is spreading worldwide, impacting everyone, everywhere.


If Isabella has her way it's gonna be a nervous day as well...
Our challenges aren't unique, and others are also making things difficult for us. Tomorrow will be just as fraught with anxiety and fear.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROB HYMAN, ERIC M BAZILIAN, RICK CHERTOFF

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Jason Barbush

This album reminds me of good times of running through neighbors' yards in the wee hours of night as our adventure setting up a tent with an extension cord with a Fisher boombox and this tape.

BerlinFan82

Great album.

David Rosato

Love the vocals in conjunction with the bass line in this song, the title track of their successful 1985 album. Thanks for posting as it is not easy to find on music websites!

Aaron G

I'm scared
👁👁👁

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