‘Take Me Home Tonight’ is a song by American rock singer Eddie Money. It was released in August 1986 as the lead single from his album Can't Hold Back. The song's chorus interpolates the Ronettes' 1963 hit "Be My Baby", with original vocalist Ronnie Spector providing uncredited vocals and reprising her role. Songwriting credit was given to Mike Leeson, Peter Vale, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector and Jeff Barry.
The song reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 15, 1986, and number one on the Album Rock Tracks chart. In Canada, it debuted on RPM's Top Singles chart at number 95 in the issue dated October 4, 1986, and peaked at number 15 during the week of November 29, 1986. It only reached #200 in the UK charts in January 1987. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and was Money's biggest hit on the U.S. charts.
Alongside its album, ‘Take Me Home Tonight’ helped revive Money's career after a period of declining sales. It also allowed Spector to resume her touring/recording career after several years of retirement.
At first, this was going to be a duet with Martha Davis, lead singer of The Motels. Money wanted Spector ("the real thing") on the song, so he called her to ask, telling her, "This is a tribute to you. The song is all about you." According to Spector, she got on board as soon as she heard the lyric, "Listen honey, just like Ronnie sang... be my little baby." "When they said that, I was sold," she told Entertainment Weekly. Spector says Money was very excited when she showed up to record it. "He was a crazy person - freaking out in the studio, going, 'I've got the real Ronnie Spector singing 'Be My Baby' on my record!'" she said.
The video was directed by Nick Morris and shot entirely in black and white at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nevada. It opens with Money alone with a metal ladder and a folding chair on an otherwise empty stage. He sings and plays an alto saxophone to an absent audience, while Ronnie Spector is seen in a make-up room and then walking through a backstage hallway to the arena floor during cutaways. Spector's face is not completely revealed until about three-quarters of the way through the video.
The song was nominated for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards on February 24, 1987, but lost to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love".
Label – ColumbiaSongwriters – Mick Leeson, Peter Vale, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
Producers – Eddie Money, Richie Zito, Jacob Dooley
SONG LYRICS
Ohhh.. Yeah..[Verse 1]
I feel a hunger, it's a hunger
That tries to keep a man awake at night
Are you the answer? I shouldn't wonder
When I can feel you whet my appetite
With all the power you're releasing
It isn't safe to walk the city streets alone
Anticipation is running through me
Let's find the keys and turn this engine on
[Pre-Chorus]
I can feel you breathe
I can feel your heart beat faster (Faster)
[Chorus]
Take me home tonight
I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light
Take me home tonight
Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang
Be my little baby, oh, ho, oh
[Verse 2]
I get frightened in all this darkness
I get nightmares I hate to sleep alone
I need some company a guardian angel
To keep me warm when the cold winds blow
[Pre-Chorus]
I can feel you breathe
I can feel your heart beat faster (Faster)
[Chorus]
Take me home tonight
I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light
Take me home tonight
Listen, honey , just like Ronnie sang
Be my little baby
Be my little baby, uh-huh
Just like Ronnie sang
I said
Just like Ronnie sang
Be my little baby
Baby, my darlin', uh, uh, oh, oh, oh
[Bridge]
I feel a hunger
It's a hunger
[Chorus]
Take me home tonight
I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light
Take me home tonight
Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang
Be my little baby, oh, ho, oh
[Chorus]
Take me home tonight
I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light
Take me home tonight
Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang
Be my little baby, oh, ho, oh
[Chorus]
Take me home tonight
I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light
Take me home tonight
Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang
Be my little baby, oh, ho, oh