Last time I was sober, man I felt bad
Worst hangover that I ever had
It took six hamburgers and scotch all night
Nicotine for breakfast just to put me right
'cause if you want to run cool
If you want to run cool
If you want to run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel

My life makes perfect sense
Lust and food and violence
Sex and money are my major kicks
Get me in a fight I like dirty tricks
'cause if you want to run cool
Yes if you want to run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel

My chick loves a man who's strong
The things she'll do to turn me on
I love the babes, don't get me wrong
Hey, that's why I wrote this song

I don't care if my liver is hanging by a thread
Don't care if my doctor says I ought to be dead
When my ugly big car won't climb this hill
I'll write a suicide note on a hundred dollar bill
'cause if you want to run cool
If you want to run cool
Yes if you want to run cool, you got to run
On heavy, heavy fuel


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Heavy Fuel Lyrics as written by Mark Knopfler

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Heavy Fuel song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    I think the song's a satire about "very male" guys... about those machist jerks who think all girls are paying them attention...
    Catalonia ISNT_Spaon July 15, 2006   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion
    I relate this song to my high school, because everybody runs on Heavy Fuel here! We got drinkers, Smokers, Hellraisers and more. I swear that some of these kids were raised with that song. I sing it all the time and it gets more attention from everyone than any other song- these guys just dont give a fuck how unhealthy their lifestyle is, because like Mark wrote, theses kids will "Write my suicide note on a hundred dollar bill."
    Rooster3030on November 01, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    The only possible theory that I can come up with is that this is a commentary on certain aspects of male society...a pastiche, if you will. Strong evidence of this is the line that says "I love the babes, don't get me wrong / hey, that's why I wrote this song." Another theory is that it is just a song about booze and sex and cigarettes. Occam's Razor dictates that the latter must be true, but I'm not so sure.
    bars.of.a.rhymeon May 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Definitely satirical. Not one of their best; I hate the way the intro just goes on and on...
    ShineYouDiamondon August 30, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I think the main objective of the song is to lampoon the stereotypes of male machismo and libido, to kind of poke fun at all those guys who run on little more than the energy provided by sex, meat, and beer. One of those instances where turning a simple narrative description into a song helps underline the silliness of the topic at hand.
    jesslovesaprilon March 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    It is actually a song based on a character in a Martin Amis novel
    DrizztUKon August 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I think the lyrics from this song shouldnt be taken so seriously it was obviously knopfler having a laugh I just love it anyway these lyrics always make me laugh!
    matute88on November 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning
    Aye, on one level anyway this is simply a sarcastic dig at bullshit macho male attitudes adopted by those who don't care how damaging they are to them. So much so that they're actually spoken from the perspective of such a bloke in question who doesn't care for his outlook. There's no doubt a bit of clichéd music star thrown in, one clear inspiration for the adoption by some of such lifestyles; "I'll write a suicide note on a hundred dollar bill." Though the Martin Amis character prospect sounds interesting. Do go on....
    thedashingdebonairon December 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I bet none of the commenters here have ever even seen a real tit......
    larry14872on March 19, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I'm pretty sure he found the riff on the guitar before writing the lyrics, and he decided to write a song that would reflect the dirtiness of the sound of the guitar. That would be Knopfler-like and to me, the song sounds a bit like it was that way.
    gio1162201on June 04, 2020   Link

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