In 1973, the Bubs celebrated their tenth reunion at Cambridge’s Sheraton Commander Hotel. Unfortunately, the mid-‘70’s brought harder times. Larger issues such as the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal, and the oil crisis resulted in less enthusiasm and opportunity for extra-curricular campus activities. Fortunately, a small but dedicated group of undergraduate singers, with the help of the Beelzebubs Alumni Association, managed to keep the group alive and strong by singing, traveling, and recording. Because the group survived these times, the Bubs remain Tufts’ longest running student organization. During the ‘70’s, the Bubs also began adding popular music to their usual repertoire of barbershop, doo-wop, gospel, and jazz.
The 1980’s brought prosperous times for the Bubs. Each year, the gigging schedule grew larger while tour destinations became increasingly farther from Tufts. By the end of the ‘80’s, the group’s most distant destinations included Florida, California, Colorado, and England. Also, on-campus enthusiasm for the group increased, resulting in stronger audition pools and more complex musical arrangements.
In the early 1990’s, the Bubs made several developments that not only changed the group’s own style but also permanently affected the characteristics of collegiate and contemporary a cappella. The 1991 album Foster St. almost completely abandoned the traditional arranging styles of glee club, doo-wop, and barbershop music and introduced a new brand of arranging which aimed to capture the driving nature of contemporary popular music.
Throughout the 1990’s and into the new millennium, the Bubs have continued to develop this new style while also performing some music of the group’s past. To date, the Bubs have recorded 25 studio and 3 live albums and have won several awards for performing and recording. They also boast an active alumni association whose Bubs Foundation raises funds for music in Boston’s public schools. The Bubs have traveled to nearly every corner of the United States and have toured Europe on several occasions. They have performed at colleges, corporate gigs, public and private elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, bar mitzvahs, wedding showers, restaurants, hospitals, churches, Fenway Park, the Bank North Garden, Disneyworld, Disneyland, Eurodisney, the United States embassies in France and England, on Late Night with David Letterman and back home in Goddard Chapel at the top of the hill in Medford, MA.
Vehicle
Tufts Beelzebubs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't you hop inside my car
I got pictures, got candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star
I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
That I love ya
(Love ya)
I need ya
(Need ya)
I want ya
Got to have you child
Great God in Heaven you know I love you
Well, if you wants to be a movie star
I'll get a ticket to a Hollywood
But if you wanna stay just luck you are
You know I think you really should
I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But now I'm sure you know
That I love ya
(Love ya)
I need ya
(Need ya)
I want ya
Got to have you child
Great God in Heaven you know I love you
Oh, you know I do
Well, I'm the friendly stranger in the black sedan
Won't you hop inside my car
I got pictures, candy, I'm a lovable man
And I can take you to the nearest star
I'm your vehicle, baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm your vehicle, woman
But now I'm sure you know
That I love ya
(Love ya)
I need ya
(Need ya)
I want ya
I got to have ya
Great God in Heaven you know I love you
And I'm your vehicle, babe
You know, I love ya, I need ya, I want ya
Got to have you child
Great God in Heaven you know I love you
The Tufts Beelzebubs's song "Vehicle" is an upbeat and catchy tune with classic rock and roll vibes. The lyrics portray a friendly stranger in a black sedan offering to take someone on a wild ride, whether it be to the nearest star or to Hollywood if they want to be a movie star. The playful tone of the lyrics is emphasized by the repeated chorus of "I'm your vehicle, baby. I'll take you anywhere you wanna go."
However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the friendly stranger is also using this offer as a way to express his love and desire for the person he is addressing. The lines "Great God in Heaven you know I love you" and "I need ya, I want ya, got to have you child" reveal his true intentions and intensify the suggestive nature of the song.
Overall, "Vehicle" can be interpreted as a fun and playful song about adventures and exploration, but also as a slightly sinister and manipulative message disguised as a friendly offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey well, I'm the friendly stranger in the black sedan
I'm a seemingly friendly man in a car, approaching you
Won't you hop inside my car
Do you want to get into my car?
I got pictures, got candy, I'm a lovable man
I have things that can persuade you to trust me and see me as a friendly person
And I can take you to the nearest star
I can take you on a wild ride that you might not have experienced before
I'm your vehicle, baby
I am the one who can take you on this ride and make it happen for you
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I can take you absolutely anywhere you want to go
But now I'm sure you know that I love ya
I want you to know that I love you and care about you
(Love ya)
I love you
(Need ya)
I need you
(Want ya)
I want you
Got to have you child
I need you, my dear
Great God in Heaven you know I love you
My love for you is pure and true
Well, if you wants to be a movie star
If you have aspirations of being a movie star
I'll get a ticket to a Hollywood
I can buy you a ticket to Hollywood to help you fulfill your dreams
But if you wanna stay just luck you are
If you want to stay where you are, that's perfectly fine
You know I think you really should
But I think you should take advantage of this opportunity
I got to have ya
I really need you in my life
And I'm your vehicle, babe
I am the one who can lead you to success
You know, I love ya, I need ya, I want ya
I really do have strong feelings for you and I want to help you achieve your dreams
Great God in Heaven you know I love you
My love for you is genuine and unwavering
Contributed by Oliver C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.