Start Me Up
The Rolling Clones Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you start me up,
If you start me up I'll never stop

You can start me up,
You can start me up I'll never stop
I've been running hot
You got me just about to blow my top
You can start me up, you can start me up,
I'll never stop, never stop, never stop

You make a grown man cry,
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry,
Spread out the oil, the gasoline
I walk smooth ride in a mean, mean machine
Start it up

You can start me up
Kick on the starter, give it all you've got
(you got, you got)
I can't compete
With the riders in the other heats
If you rough it up
If you like it you can slit it up, slide it up
Slide it up, slide it up
Don't make a grown man cry,
Don't make a grown man cry
Don't make a grown man cry,
My eyes dilate, my lips go green
My hands are greasy, she's a mean, mean machine
Start it up

Start me up
Ah, you've got to, you've got to
Never, never, never stop
Start it up
Ah, start it up, never, never, never
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
You make a grown man cry
Ride like the wind, at double speed
I'll take you places that you've never, never seen

It you start it up,
Love the day when we will never stop
Never stop, never, never, never stop
Tough me up
Never stop, never stop
You, you, you make a grown man cry




You, you make a dead man come,
You, you, you make a dead man come

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Clones featuring Jimmy Lee are all about excitement, energy and power. The first verse deals with the idea of being "started up" and how this will lead to an endless supply of energy. The singer tells us that if we can "start him up" then he will never stop.


The second verse emphasizes the powerful nature of the person who is starting things up. They are described as being able to make a grown man cry simply by their presence. The bridge is all about the machine starting up and the power that it brings. The gasoline and oil are spread out, and the machine is described as being mean and tough. When it is started up, the man behind the wheel feels the power of the machine and the energy that it brings.


Overall, the song is all about empowerment and energy, both in the physical sense and in the metaphorical sense. It's about feeling the power of a well-oiled machine and the energy it brings. It's also about being empowered by someone who can "start you up" and give you endless energy and excitement.


Line by Line Meaning

If you start me up,
If you give me a chance,


If you start me up I'll never stop
I'll keep going indefinitely if you give me that initial spark.


You can start me up,
You have the power to give me that initial spark.


You can start me up I'll never stop
I'll keep going indefinitely if you give me that initial spark.


I've been running hot
I'm ready to go and have a lot of energy.


You got me just about to blow my top
You're so close to igniting my energy that I'm about to burst.


You can start me up, you can start me up,
Once again, you have the power to give me that initial spark.


I'll never stop, never stop, never stop
Just like before, I'll keep going indefinitely if you give me that initial spark.


You make a grown man cry,
You have a powerful effect on people.


You make a grown man cry
You have a powerful effect on people.


You make a grown man cry,
You have a powerful effect on people.


Spread out the oil, the gasoline
Get everything ready for me to perform at my best.


I walk smooth ride in a mean, mean machine
I'll perform confidently and smoothly in a powerful machine.


Start it up
Give me that initial spark to get started.


You can start me up
Once again, you have the power to give me that initial spark.


Kick on the starter, give it all you've got
Use all your strength to give me that initial spark and get me going.


(you got, you got)
You can do it, I believe in you.


I can't compete
I can't match up to the competition right away.


With the riders in the other heats
With the other performers in this space.


If you rough it up
If you challenge me and push me harder, I'll try to keep up with the competition.


If you like it you can slit it up, slide it up
If you enjoy my performance, you can make it even better by pushing me further.


Slide it up, slide it up
Keep pushing me harder and harder.


Don't make a grown man cry,
Please don't have a negative effect on me or hurt me emotionally.


Don't make a grown man cry
Please don't have a negative effect on me or hurt me emotionally.


Don't make a grown man cry,
Please don't have a negative effect on me or hurt me emotionally.


My eyes dilate, my lips go green
I get so caught up in the performance that it affects me physically.


My hands are greasy, she's a mean, mean machine
I'm really getting into the performance and the machine is working at full power.


Start it up
Once again, give me that initial spark to keep going.


Start me up
Keep giving me that initial spark to keep going.


Ah, you've got to, you've got to
You really need to give me that initial spark.


Never, never, never stop
I'll keep going indefinitely if you keep giving me that initial spark.


Start it up
Once again, give me that initial spark to keep going.


Ah, start it up, never, never, never
Keep giving me that initial spark to keep going indefinitely.


You make a grown man cry
Again, you have a powerful effect on people.


You make a grown man cry
Again, you have a powerful effect on people.


You make a grown man cry
Again, you have a powerful effect on people.


Ride like the wind, at double speed
I'm pushing myself to the limit and going as fast as I can.


I'll take you places that you've never, never seen
My performance will take you on a journey that you've never experienced before.


It you start it up,
If you give me that initial spark,


Love the day when we will never stop
I'll keep going indefinitely and we'll both love it.


Never stop, never, never, never stop
I'm determined to keep going indefinitely with your help.


Tough me up
Challenge me and push me harder.


Never stop, never stop
Again, I'm determined to keep going indefinitely with your help.


You, you, you make a grown man cry
Once again, your powerful effect on people is emphasized.


You, you make a dead man come,
Your power is so strong that even a dead person would be brought back to life by it.


You, you, you make a dead man come
Again, your power is emphasized.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions