“You have cultural icons who are celebrities to the people. That kind of scares people in a political climate who want control. They can't control them, so all they can do is make the press take control, debase these people and try to take their credibility.” »read more
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English Beat singer/guitarist Dave Wakeling says of this song: "I wrote it when I was a teenager. I wrote it before The Beat (outside of the US, the group is known as The Beat) started. And it was about turning from a teenager to someone in their 20s, and realizing that the effortless promise for your teenage years was not necessarily going to show that life was so simple as you started to grow up. So it was about being lost, about not really knowing your role in the world, trying to find your place in the world. So, you couldn't find your own way in the world, and you'd have all sorts of people telling you this, that, and the other, and advising you, and it didn't actually seem like they knew any better. So it was like keep your advice to yourself. Save it - for later."
Listeners often find salacious subtexts in songs when in fact, none exist. In this case, however, it does. Wakeling explains: "The actual hook line itself was just a dirty joke, I just thought it was hilarious that you could get in a song: 'save it – comma – for later – F-E-double L-A-T-O-R.' So I thought it'd be really neat to get that in a song and everybody would be singing it. I didn't know it was going to be a joke that lasted for 30 years." (Read Dave's full interview in the Songfacts Interviews. His website is davewakeling.com.)
When performing their 1994 song "Better Man" in concert, the American rock band Pearl Jam often play it as a medley together with this song.
More songs about being young and confused
Comments:
Hey Jack, I recall hearing the song as well at Max's. I remember the guy who wrote it. He looked to be about 15. Arrogant little punk.
- Dave, Flushing, NY
I recall hearing a similar song in New York (CB'S?) back in the mid 1970's. Maybe it was the drugs I waz doing at the time.
- Jack Paultry, New York, NY
This song is in the 1996 movie "Kingpin"
- Sam, Seattle, WA
Pete Townsend performs an acoustic version of Save It For Later on his 1986 album "Deep End Live," and Pearl Jam often sing a portion of it in concert, when playing their song Better Man.
- Justin, Woodstock, NY