Young Turks November 1981

Young Turks

by Rod Stewart

November, 1981

November 7, 1981, and Rod Stewart's single 'Young Turks' is at position 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and in heavy rotation on MTV.

The single, released in October 1981 from Stewart's album Tonight I'm Yours, would eventually peak at No. 5 on the Hot 100 in December.

The video for the song was filmed in Los Angeles in the summer of 1981. It features a dance performance - likely inspired by the 1980 movie Fame -  at a railyard, while Rod and the band mime and lip synch. 

There's also a guy breakdancing, something that was comparatively novel in 1981 (the movie Breakin' didn't appear in theatres until 1984).

Some 80s fashion and flash, from 40 years ago.........

Billy left his home with a dollar in his pocket and a head full of dreams
He said somehow, some way, it's gotta get better than this
Patti packed her bags, left a note for her mama, she was just seventeen
There were tears in her eyes when she kissed her little sister goodbye

They held each other tight as they drove on through the night, they were so excited
We got but one shot at life, let's take it while we're still not afraid
Because life is so brief and time is a thief when you're undecided
And like a fistful of sand, it can slip right through your hands

Young hearts be free tonight
Time is on your side
Don't let 'em put you down, don't let 'em push you around
Don't let 'em ever change your point of view

Paradise was closed, so they headed for the coast in a blissful manner
They took a two room apartment that was jumping every night of the week
Happiness was found in each other's arms as expected, yeah
Billy pierced his ears, drove a pickup like a lunatic, ooh

Young hearts be free tonight
Time is on your side
Don't let 'em put you down, don't let 'em push you around
Don't let 'em ever change your point of view

Come on Billy
Woo

Young heart, be free tonight
Time is on, on your side

Billy wrote a letter back home to Patti's parents tryin' to explain
He said we're both real sorry that it had to turn out this way
But there ain't no point in talking when there's nobody listening, so we just ran away
Patti gave birth to a ten pound baby boy, yeah

Young hearts be free tonight
Time is on your side
Young hearts be free tonight
Time is on your side
Young hearts be free tonight
Time in on your side

Young hearts gotta run free, be free, live free
Time is on, time is on your side
Time, time, time, time is on your side
Is on your side, is on your side
Young heart be free tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh