The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Oh Heartbeat City here we come
And happy days count on thumbs
And nothin' really gets us down
As long as Jacki's back in town
I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (oh Jacki)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
(Heartbeat city)
The noise electric
Never stops
And all you need
Is what you got
And there's a place for everyone
Under Heartbeat City's golden sun
(Jacki)
Oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
Oh, yeah yeah yeah
You know, I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
I missed you so badly
When you jumped that train
(Oh Jacki) oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
(Thought you knew the way)
I thought you blew away
(Heartbeat City)
Oh Heartbeat City
Lights at night
(Heartbeat City)
It's getting closer
Out of sight
(Heartbeat City)
Heartbeat City's on the loose
(Heartbeat City)
Better catch
The blue caboose
Oh, huh, Heartbeat City
It's my life
(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)
And happy days count on thumbs
And nothin' really gets us down
As long as Jacki's back in town
I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (oh Jacki)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
(Heartbeat city)
The noise electric
Never stops
And all you need
Is what you got
And there's a place for everyone
Under Heartbeat City's golden sun
(Jacki)
Oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
I thought you knew the way
Oh, yeah yeah yeah
You know, I'm glad you made it
I can't complain
I missed you so badly
When you jumped that train
(Oh Jacki) oh Jacki
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
On just a holiday
Oh Jacki (Jacki)
(What took you so long)
What took you so long
(Thought you knew the way)
I thought you blew away
(Heartbeat City)
Oh Heartbeat City
Lights at night
(Heartbeat City)
It's getting closer
Out of sight
(Heartbeat City)
Heartbeat City's on the loose
(Heartbeat City)
Better catch
The blue caboose
Oh, huh, Heartbeat City
It's my life
(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)
(Heartbeat city)
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
I see this as being a love song. 'Hearbeat City' is a place inside the singer (or subject of the song, as it is sung from his POV). Jackie is back in his life and now he can start feeling again, as some who are in love will say that they lose the ability to feel (ie, feel dead inside - a form of defensive separation from one's feelings and internal state, which can lead sometimes to severe depression) when they are heartbroken-- or living outside Heartbeat City. The subject could just be very in love and thus very relieved when Jackie comes back or he could be a codependent who without someone in his life loses his own internal focus and sense of being, as well as a loss of being in touch with his feelings, or if a codependent, his identity. The heart is metaphorically the place of both one's feelings and true sense of self - one with a 'big heart' has both a good sense of their own feelings as well as a solid sense of self. The subject gets his Jackie back, he gets his heart back, his sense of self and his source of happiness-- and so he is back in 'Heartbeat City'.
Could "Heartbeat City" be referred to a certain city in the world?
I always assumed Jacki was a guy "Jacky" - but the situation works for either gender. I think "Heartbeat City" is a pseudonym for both the hometown and the relationship based there. Jacki leaves town (and the relationship) and then returns, but knows that it will be for only a couple of happy days, before she is back on the road. She left, and will leave again, because her lover (obviously very much in love with her) is a bit obsessive and she doesn't feel the connection (to him or home) as deeply. I wonder whether there is a third person in the dialoge (the one who says (hm! - somewhat sarcastically). This is Jacki's friend and rival "I'm glad you made it" (Not) and maybe thinks "all you need is what you got" - that the guy should realise - Jacki is a flake and I'm here ready to appreciate you but you don't see it - wait 'till she leaves town again.... Jacki is a bit sad to leave ("blue" caboose) but even Heartbeat City's attractions are not enough to hold her and she's off again.
I remember reading the review in Rolling Stone for this song. The reviewer nailed it, in my opinion. Ocaseck refers to "Jackie," which the reviewer noted was slang for pain-killers. Listening to the lyrics, doesn't it make a lot of sense?
The single best Cars tune, period.
this is an awesome synth tune, ric ocasek reminds me of the cure's robert smith sometimes. this song, to me tells the story of girl named jackie with whom the speaker had a romantic relationship until she left him one day. then when she returns wanting to re-kindle things, the speaker is simultaneously happy shes back, but hurt that she left him "i missed you so badly...when you jumped the scene"
Mutt Lange produced it.
this is an awesome synth tune, ric ocasek reminds me of the cure's robert smith sometimes. this song, to me tells the story of girl named jackie with whom the speaker had a romantic relationship until she left him one day. then when she returns wanting to re-kindle things, the speaker is simultaneously happy shes back, but hurt that she left him "i missed you so badly...when you jumped the scene"
I love how in the intro to this song the sound that sounds like a bird reminds me of a heartbeat.
Addendum: sustitute metaphor for pseudonym
Being a band from Boston, I have to believe the song is about Boston. The little blue caboose used to be attached to the commuter trains headed to Boston back in the 70s