He was born in Big Beaver by the borderline
He started playing hockey by the time he was nine
His dad took the hose and froze the back yard
And Little Buddy dreamed he was Rocket Richard
He grew up big and he grew up tough
He saw himself scoring for the Wings or Canucks
But he wasn't that good with a puck

Buddy's real talent was beating people up
His heart wasn't in it but the crowd ate it up
Through pee-wee's and juniors, midgets and mites
He must have racked up more than six hundred fights
A scout from the flames came down from Saskatoon
Said, "There's always room on our team for a goon
Son, we've always got room for a goon"

There were Swedes to the left of him
Russians to the right
A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight
Brains over brawn-that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do

Hit somebody! was what the crowd roared
When Buddy the goon came over the boards
"Coach," he'd say, "I wanna score goals"
The coach said, "Buddy, remember your role
The fast guys get paid, they shoot, they score
Protect them, Buddy, that's what you're here for

Protection is what you're here for
Protection-it's the stars that score
Protection-kick somebody's ass
Protection-don't put the biscuit in the basket just
Hit some, Buddy! it rang in his ears
Blood on the ice ran down through the years
The king of the goons with a box for a throne
A thousand stitches and broken bones
He never lost a fight on his icy patrol
But deep inside, Buddy only dreamed of a goal
He just wanted one damn goal

There were Swedes at the the blue line
Finns at the red
A Russian with a stick heading straight for his head
Brains over brawn-that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do

In his final season, on his final night
Buddy and a Finn goon were pegged for a fight
Thirty seconds left, the puck took a roll
And suddenly Buddy had a shot on goal

The goalie committed, Buddy picked his spot
Twenty years of waiting went into that shot
The fans jumped up, the Finn jumped too
And coldcocked Buddy on his follow through
The big man crumbled but he felt all right
'Cause the last thing he saw
was the flashing red light
He saw that heavenly light

There were Swedes to the left of him
Russians to the right
A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight
Take care of your teeth-that might work for you
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do
But what's a Canadian farm boy to do
What else can a farm boy from Canada to do


Lyrics submitted by jmcreswell, edited by DAMMIT360

Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song) Lyrics as written by Mitchell David Albom Warren Zevon

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Hit Somebody song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Doesn't mean that at all. It's just referring to the red light as heavenly because of how great it is seeing that light flash when you score a goal :-)

    boron September 24, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The red light is the hockey siren lol. Bor is right. ;D

    I appreciate this song as a die hard hockey fan, born and raised (go Bruins! xDD) and listen to it often admiring Zevon's storytelling capabilities.

    Gods bless his soul, Zevon is by far the world's greatest artist. In my opinion, he trumps all. +salute+

    Defyenceon January 16, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    As above... plus- No one commented on the inclusion of Warren's pal, David Lettreman who can be heard yelling, "Hit somebody!" T.F.M.!

    Dr.Zchicagoon April 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I choose to pretend that this doesnt mean buddy died. Is that what the song is saying?

    Zevon is such a good storyteller. All his songs have the quality of being a great story in the lyrics...straight forward and interesting.

    jmcreswellon August 31, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I like Buddy, too. I still think he dies at the end of the song, though. It says the last thing he saw was the flashing red light, and I think it implies that he saw the flashing red light, and then that heavenly light.

    I agree. Zevon is one of the truly great story-tellers in all of singing history. Right up there with Johnny Cash in that department.

    TaddyTeddyon March 19, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is hilarious...I am rolling on the floor right now. Zevon can tell a story.

    OpinionHeadon February 25, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yeah the song is great, my mom almost cries when she heard this song, straange, but its great cause its canadien! yeah!

    who_rockon March 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I personally think that Buddy's fate is left ambiguous on purpose. It could easily end up that he was hit by the Finn and killed or that he scored the goal and survived. I think Zevon left it up to the audience on this one.

    AlmightyTimon September 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I always took it to mean that when the opportunity that Buddy had been waiting for arose, he took it without a second thought, not even for his own safety (he would have had to have lost that fight to take the shot - "He never lost a fight on his ice he patrolled.") And the heavenly was just an apt way to sum up the whole experience, as the Finn "cold-cocked Buddy on his follow-through." That doesn't necessarily imply death, just game over. WZ was a god. :)

    BBDemuson September 27, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    spectacular tune. probably the best narrative piano rock song ever. it is refreshing that when WZ eases up on the death and fatalism he can tell a story with the same tongue in cheek attitude he uses in his more serious tracks.

    scumbagstyleon February 04, 2007   Link

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