1
You better you better you bet, ooh
You better you better you bet, ooh
You better you better you bet, ooh
You better you better you bet, ooh
I call you on the telephone
My voice too rough with cigarettes
I sometimes feel I should just go home
But I'm dealing with a memory that never forgets
I love to hear you say my name
Especially when you say, "Yes"
I got your body right now on my mind
But I drunk myself blind
To the sound of old T-Rex
To the sound of old T-Rex
Oh, and Who's Next?
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
You better bet your life
Or love will cut you like a knife
I want those feeble minded axes overthrown
I'm not into your passport picture, I just like your nose
You welcome me with open arms and open legs
I know only fools have needs but this one never begs
I don't really mind how much you love me
Ooh, a little is alright
When you say, "Come over and spend the night"
Tonight, tonight
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
You better bet your life
Or love will cut you, cut you like a knife
I lay on the bed with you
We could make some book of records
Your dog keeps licking my nose
And chewing up all those letters
Saying, "You better
You better bet your life"
You better love me, all the time now
You better shove me back into line now
You better love me, all the time now
You better shove me back into line now
I showed up late one night with a neon light for a visa
But knowing I'm so eager to fight can't make letting me in any easier
I know I've been wearing crazy clothes and I look pretty crappy, sometime
But my body feels so good and I still sing a razor line every time
And when it comes to all night living
I know what I'm giving
I've got it all down to a tee
And it's free
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you scream, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet) ooh
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
And when I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you scream, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
You better bet your life
Or love will cut you just like a knife
You better you better you bet, ooh
You better you better you bet, ooh
You better you better you bet, ooh
I call you on the telephone
My voice too rough with cigarettes
I sometimes feel I should just go home
But I'm dealing with a memory that never forgets
I love to hear you say my name
Especially when you say, "Yes"
I got your body right now on my mind
But I drunk myself blind
To the sound of old T-Rex
To the sound of old T-Rex
Oh, and Who's Next?
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
You better bet your life
Or love will cut you like a knife
I want those feeble minded axes overthrown
I'm not into your passport picture, I just like your nose
You welcome me with open arms and open legs
I know only fools have needs but this one never begs
I don't really mind how much you love me
Ooh, a little is alright
When you say, "Come over and spend the night"
Tonight, tonight
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
You better bet your life
Or love will cut you, cut you like a knife
I lay on the bed with you
We could make some book of records
Your dog keeps licking my nose
And chewing up all those letters
Saying, "You better
You better bet your life"
You better love me, all the time now
You better shove me back into line now
You better love me, all the time now
You better shove me back into line now
I showed up late one night with a neon light for a visa
But knowing I'm so eager to fight can't make letting me in any easier
I know I've been wearing crazy clothes and I look pretty crappy, sometime
But my body feels so good and I still sing a razor line every time
And when it comes to all night living
I know what I'm giving
I've got it all down to a tee
And it's free
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you scream, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet) ooh
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
And when I say, "I need you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I love you," you say, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
When I say, "I need you," you scream, "You better"
(You better, you better, you bet)
You better bet your life
Or love will cut you just like a knife
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This song, to me, is one of the many songs about a guy who travels a lot for his job and misses his wife/girlfriend. The difference between this song and the others is Townshend's gift for phrases and sincerity. He's just a much, much better songwriter than most.
While many of the lyrics (and the music) are kind of bright or happy, the undercurrent of the song is sadness. Of being apart. And it gives the song more depth. Case in point:
"I drunk myself blind to the sound of old T.Rex and Who's Next"
In the context of the song, this line sounds like Townshend feeling a bit wistful for the early 70s when T.Rex was big and the top-to-bottom Who masterpiece Who's Next had been written and recorded. I may be reading too much into it, but I've often wondered if Townshend was actually lamenting the fact he hadn't written anything he thought was better than Who's Next.