Beautiful Loser

Album: Beautiful Loser (1975)
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  • He wants to dream like a young man
    With the wisdom of an old man
    He wants his home and security
    He wants to live like a sailor at sea
    Beautiful loser, where you gonna fall?
    You realize you just can't have it all

    He's your oldest and your best friend
    If you need him, he'll be there again
    He's always willing to be second best
    A perfect lodger, a perfect guest
    Beautiful loser, read it on the wall
    And realize, you just can't have it all
    You can't have it all, you can't have it all
    Oh, oh, can't have it all

    He'll never make any enemies
    He won't complain if he's caught in a freeze
    He'll always ask, he'll always say please

    Beautiful loser, never take it all
    'Cause it's easier, faster when you fall
    You just don't need it all
    Oh, oh, you just don't need it all Writer/s: Bob Seger
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

  • Marty Elvis from TennesseeOn nights when I do Beautiful Loser in my show I do it 3 times in a row lol
  • Cws1023 from Philadelphia,pa,usaWhen this song came out a late friend of mine said it reminded him of me-he explained that I really wasn't a loser at all. But all I lost, all the useless crap I went through that wasn't my fault, etc. that I rose above everything and although I still want 'it all' I can settle for being 2nd best and I'm good with that. He said it was like Bob wrote it for me. I thought about it and smiled-he was right. RIP Harry, I was glad we called each other brother. You were a good friend.
  • Travler from West-by-godHey Ken....if I'm not mistaken...1974 at Cobo Hall! In my opinion...one of the 10 best Live albums ever recorded!
  • Joe from Cypress CaliforniaI love this song. I can listen to it 10 times in row. I grew up with Seger on the radio. I was in high school in the 70s. The beauty of it to me is the restraint. Seger has such a powerful voice, but he keeps it right where it needs to be - mellow, melancholy and soulful. The Muscle Shoals studio musicians make it perfect.
  • William from EnglandAs a 14 year old fan, it seems a shame to me that so little of my generation can appreciate the music of Seger, and of a lot of classic rock artists. Compared to today's mass-produced music scene, the passion for music is so clear in his work. I was saddened to hear that his farewell tour is now in full swing, and that I'll never get to see him in person; they say never meet your heroes, but he was something special. Regardless, a superb icon to me and a timeless track!
  • Dean from Santa Ana, CaCome on people, who is the beautiful loser at your house? Mine is my 18 year old Chihuahua1
    He wants to dream like a young man (esspecially about the little girl dog next door)

    With the wisdom of an old man. ( he is very wise)

    He wants his home and security, (he loves his home and his bed and keeps our home safe from intruders)

    He wants to live like a sailor at sea. (he wants to be free to roam around the neighborhood)


    You realize you just can’t have it all. ( he realizes he can't have it all, he waits at the door untill you say come on))


    He’s your oldest and your best friend, (well duh, dog years he is your oldest and mans best friend)

    If you need him, he’ll be there again. (he is always ready to go, any hour of the day or night)

    He’s always willing to be second best, (to him, you are the best there is, he is second)

    A perfect lodger, a perfect guest. (he will sleep on the floor or any place out of the way, the perfect guest)

    And realize, you just can’t have it all. ( he doesn't even try to have it all)

    ...you can’t have it all, you can’t have it all, ( a dog will never be able to have it all)

    Oh, oh, ... can’t have it all.


    He’ll never make any enemies, (my dog makes friends with every dog and every person and anything else that moves)

    He won’t complain if he’s caught in a freeze. (our dogs are left outside all the time, with no complants)

    He’ll always ask, he’ll always say please. ( my dog asks with his eyes and says please with his tail)

    Beautiful loser, never take it all (if other dogs are around he leaves food for them, he never takes it all)

    You just don’t need it all (we should be more like our dogs, we just don't need it all, having it all doesn't make you happy)

    Oh, oh, ... you just don’t need it all. ( my dogs name is Charlie and he is my best friend and my Beautiful Loser!
  • Dane from Green Cove Springs Fla., FlA song I've always loved.The perfect marriage of words & music.I prefer the studio version however.
  • Ken from MargaritavilleTo Chris, in Waterford Township, the song you are looking for is from Live Bullet, and the name of the song is "Let It Rock". "Ev'rybody in Detroit, C'mon, I'm gonna turn ya loose!"
  • Chris from Waterford, MiWhat is the song that Bob Seger sings where he introduces his Silver Bullet band ob Seger and I'm from Ann Arbor, MI? Have been trying to find this song for a while and need help please?
  • Dave from Northridge, CaThis song, along with "It's Only Rock and Roll" by the Stones were the last two songs ever played on LA's classic rock station KMET.
  • Jay from Atlanta, GaTed, thanks for mentioning Point Blank, every time I sit down with the guitar I can't help but do the riff to "Nicole".
  • Angela West from Tomball, TxThe lyrics to me describe my ex-husband! The most perfect beautiful looser! All of Bob Seger's music & lyrics are very powerful!
  • Jay from St. Louis, MoI always thought it was a song about a man's best friend - a loser who is always willing to take a backseat when a woman enters the picture, but a loyal friend.
  • Ted from Loveland, CoThis song was covered by Point Blank, on their album "Second Season."
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