# Bob Seger ~ Night Moves lyrics dispute **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 6, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898 "2017-11-06T17:15:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/1 "2017-11-06T17:15:00Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFRVegQZ_r0) Live: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrn-KqPhabQ) Most lyrics sites say the song starts: _I was a little too tall Could’ve used a few pounds Tight pants points hardly renown_ It’s not uncommon for lyrics sites to copy one another and propagate incorrect lyrics. I don’t believe it’s _Tight pants points hardly renown_. That doesn’t make much sense. Listen to the YouTube videos above before clicking spoiler and tell me what you hear. I hear this: Tight pants points hollerin’ out There’s a few sites on the internet talking about the lyrics saying that his “points” refer to pointy shoes worn back in the day. I believe since that comes right after talking about his wearing tight pants, it refers to his three piece set showing through, especially since her points are also of a sexual nature. Your thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/2 "2017-11-06T17:25:51Z")
I agree with your interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/3 "2017-11-06T17:28:30Z")
That’s the way I’ve always heard it. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/4 "2017-11-06T17:31:05Z")
For what it’s worth, the sheet music says “hardly reknown”. Those things aren’t always right, but it is a good indication. Edited to clarify: yes, it includes the “k”. I dunno, that’s just what it says, “hardly reknown”. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/5 "2017-11-06T17:40:25Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > For what it’s worth, the sheet music says “hardly reknown”. Those things aren’t always right, but it is a good indication. > > Edited to clarify: yes, it includes the “k”. I dunno, that’s just what it says, “hardly reknown”. What do you mean by “the” sheet music? Official sheet music or just something found on the internet? I found sheet music for the song on the internet without the “k.” > **[Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band "Night Moves" Sheet Music (Leadsheet)...](https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0109133)** > > lead sheets for Night Moves by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band Includes complete lyrics in Ab Major. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/6 "2017-11-06T17:40:53Z")
Based on the lyrics in his other songs, “Hardly renown” sounds more like something Bob Seager would write than “hollerin’ out”. However, the lyric a little farther into the song about the dark haired girl “with points of her own, sitting way up high (way up firm and high)” would match better with “hollerin’ out” Nah, I’m sticking with hardly renown. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/7 "2017-11-06T17:53:06Z")
> [@](#): > > When Seger sings the line about how he dressed in high school, “Tight pants, points, hardly renowned,” “Points” refers to small metal objects some teenagers wore on their shoes in the '60s. [http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=388](http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=388) And I got a chuckle out of this follow up. > [@](#): > > But when he sings ‘And points all her own sitting way up high, way up firm and high’; I just can’t imagine what he is referring to??? ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/8 "2017-11-06T17:57:31Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > What do you mean by “the” sheet music? Official sheet music or just something found on the internet? I found sheet music for the song on the internet without the “k.” > > [Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band "Night Moves" Sheet Music (Leadsheet) in Ab Major - Download & Print - SKU: MN0109133](https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0109133) I was talking about the original piano/vocal sheet music. A lot of those guitar tabs are published after the official p/v scores are published, so I tried to go straight to the source. But regardless of the “k” situation, it still means the lyric sites are probably correct. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/9 "2017-11-06T18:07:31Z")
Okay, I’ve changed my mind. I’m going with ‘hardly renowned’ now also. I’ve listened to a few more live versions on YouTube including a cover by The Killers. But I still think his points are poking through his pants, and since it’s a song of a young man’s summer romance, they weren’t very renowned. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/10 "2017-11-06T18:07:51Z")
I always thought he was saying “tight pants, points, hardly renowned.” Wearing tight pants and points on his shoes and really nothing to write home about, whereas she was beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/11 "2017-11-06T18:11:22Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I always thought he was saying “tight pants, points, hardly renowned.” Wearing tight pants and points on his shoes and really nothing to write home about, whereas she was beautiful. That sounds right. I’m a convert. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/12 "2017-11-06T19:23:56Z")
I’m pretty sure that the album (you know, vinyl thingy) includes lyrics for all of the songs, and it is “Tight pants points hardly reknown.” I’ll have to check when I get home, though. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/13 "2017-11-06T20:11:20Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > [Night Moves by Bob Seger - Songfacts](http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=388) > > “Points” refers to small metal objects some teenagers wore on their shoes in the '60s. Without a reference dating to the period, the above should be filed with [the notion that The Beach Boys sing about a big slip differential](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19913021). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/14 "2017-11-06T20:17:23Z")
I never would have known what he was saying. All these years I’ve thought the opening lines are: \*I’d love to talk, could use a few friends Tight pans, points, hollering out \* I guess, because of the Chevy, and him being from Detroit(?) and all, I thought he was referring to car parts - pans and points :smack: And maybeeeeee they were hollering out because of the rocking motion of the car while the couple were working on their “night moves”. Or something like that. “_And points all her own, singing way up high Way up fine and high_” Thought he was literally referring to her singing, maybe to the car radio. There aren’t enough :smack: :smack: :smack: s I haven’t heard the song in a long time, though I always liked it, despite not having a clue what it’s about. Wait, that’s not true. It’s actually pretty evocative and though I haven’t always know the words, I think I very much get the scene and the feeling that is meant to be conveyed. I love it when I discover an especially stupid mondegreen 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/15 "2017-11-06T20:37:20Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > I’m pretty sure that the album (you know, vinyl thingy) includes lyrics for all of the songs, and it is “Tight pants points hardly reknown.” I’ll have to check when I get home, though. That simple fact never stopped countless people from getting Blinded By The Light wrong for 40 years. And, if that IS the actual lyric, boy is it stupid. It’s not even good grammar. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/16 "2017-11-06T20:54:29Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > That simple fact never stopped countless people from getting Blinded By The Light wrong for 40 years. > > And, if that IS the actual lyric, boy is it stupid. It’s not even good grammar. Yes. I forgot to ask , wouldn’t it be “renowned” ? It flows about as well as ". . . _the point is probably moot"._ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/17 "2017-11-06T22:01:08Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > And I got a chuckle out of this follow up. > [@](#): > > But when he sings ‘And points all her own sitting way up high, way up firm and high’; I just can’t imagine what he is referring to??? [Eyes. Let’s pretend he was referring to her eyes.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0726.html) ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/18 "2017-11-06T22:19:51Z")
I thought he was saying “Tight pants, points, how old are you now?”, but that doesn’t make any sense. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/19 "2017-11-06T22:56:20Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > I thought he was saying “Tight pants, points, how old are you now?”,\*\* but that doesn’t make any sense\*\*. Neither does the “real” lyric. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898/20 "2017-11-07T20:57:47Z")
I always assumed it was “hollering out.” If Bob Seger tells me it’s “Hardly renowned,” I’d say, “My wrong lyric is better than your correct one.” I always figured the meaning was that he was a typical teen male with a 24 hour hard-on that showed through his tight jeans, while she had big boobs sticking out through her tight sweater. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-seger-night-moves-lyrics-dispute/800898.md?page=2)