STAND UP
(music and lyrics by Rick Springfield) 

Stand up

Try a little bit of love
And a bit of persuasion
I heard love plus love's
A universal equation
But don't let somebody push you 'round
You gotta stand up

Stand up
You got something to say
Don't sit there and pout it
Put your feet on the seat
Stand up and shout it
And don't let somebody sit you down
Stand up

Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up

You wanna own the world
You want it stuffed and mounted
You can't do it sitting down
Stand up and be counted
And if you wanna break the rules
Stand up

This ain't no movie theater
This ain't a classroom
Nobody's gonna tell you what to do
So come on everybody
Get up I want you
Stand Up

Let's see a little upward motion
You've got to clap your hands
If you want a commotion
But don't let somebody sit you down
Stand up

Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up
Stand up

Try a little bit, try a little bit of love
And a bit of persuasion
I heard love plus love
Is the universal equation

But don't let somebody push you 'round
You gotta stand up
I said don't let somebody push you 'round
You gotta stand up
Don't let somebody push you 'round

Stand up

(total playing time: 3:08)

Song Facts:

This song can be found on the following releases:
Hard to Hold (soundtrack).  This songs opens up the movie Hard to Hold.

According to US

This song rhymes too much for me. There I said it. I always thought of this song as a James Roberts song, not a Rick Springfield song. (I know, I know, Rick wrote it, but..) It just sounds too...too...oh heck I don't know what word I'm looking for, I guess - canned. Manufactured. Bubble-gum. (Oh the horror!) I think it fit really well for the start of the movie, and gave us a good image from the get-go as to what type of pop star James Roberts was supposed to be. The scene where Diana dances to it (where, I might add-exists probably the only non-live version of this song) makes me want to gag. She's not even on time to the music, and lord knows this song has a really easy beat to follow along to. Wasn't she a trained dancer in real life? She ought to be ashamed of herself. 

When I first got the album, I was really excited to hear a "live" song. We hadn't gotten a version like that before from Rick, so that was cool. I really wondered where it fit into the movie, so seeing it at the beginning really worked. Like I said before though, this song really rhymes...a lot. It has a good message to it though, about not taking any crap from anyone and standing up to anyone who might want to mess with you or your ideas - and fighting for what you believe.

Speaking of fighting, this was the song that had me having my first "discussion" with concert security. Try telling a security guard in a Detroit venue that Rick is telling you to stand on your seat. He's not goin' for it. Whatever my feelings on the lyrics, this is definitely a "get up out of your seat and dance around" live song. When Rick used to do the whole song in concert there was this lighted STAND UP at the top of stage that used to go off and on during the chorus. I'm not sure if that was for the people who didn't know the words, or when to say them (how dare they) or just for novelty, but it was pretty neat. Now this one...this would be worthy of having a snippet in a medley. Are you listening Rick?  - Michelle P.

When I hear this song, I always think of the opening scene in Hard To Hold. It's a very upbeat song, very energetic, not too deep, with a nice little message, if you want something you have to go get it, you can't expect it to just come to you.

I also love the energy of this song at the end of the Medley, which starts out kind of slow, but sure ends with a kick. I was always surprised this wasn't a single, thought it would have made a much better single over Bop Til You Drop. - rlh

I've always thought of this as a sort of an Empowerment song. I realize he wrote it for Hard To Hold, but I can't help thinking that he was inspired by someone or something to write this type of song. It was kind of a different type of song for Rick. I really liked it though and still do and the message that it conveys. I'm surprised a candidate for some public office hasn't used it for a campaign. lol 

I love the way he sings it. He sang it like he really believed it. I just like it when he gets loud. In this instance he's not angry, so it's a little different. The music is really infectious. You can't help but start moving when you hear this song. I've never been to a show where he did this song, but I would like to just to see the reaction of the crowd. - Elizabeth S.

This is classic power pop! Funky, upbeat and sending a bold message with no reading between the lines. It reminds me of Footloose. I love hearing the crowd in the background repeating 'stand-up'.

The message the song sends loud and clear seems so simple, yet why is it that if you are to take this stance, you quickly sit down after your hand gets slapped  because someone does not like what you have to say.

I would think this to be one of the first very interactive songs Rick has performed over the years. It gets the heart pumping and the head thinking. The older I get, the less of an effect the song and lyrics have on me, but if I keep it tucked away long enough, when I do listen to it, it has a bit more meaning. No matter how old I am when, I will always picture denim, dark feather hair, a guitar and lots of sweat. It will remind me of the time when I would get lost in those dimples. - Kat M.

I think that the only place I enjoy this one is in the movie! It just fits in with his concert scene and makes much sense, but just to sit and listen to it doesn't do anything for me. What he really needs to do is sing it when he first hits the stage at some of these shows I've been to where all of these people just sit and gawk. - Amy L.

As much as this song sounds like a ‘movie-song’ to me, I still like it. 

Ok, so it IS a movie-song! I can’t help but think of Jamie…or should I say RICK…on stage and rockin’ out to this song in Hard To Hold! It has that ‘movie feel’ to it, yet it doesn’t take away from the fun aspects of the song. I really like the messages in it, with lines like, “I heard love plus love’s the universal equation.” I like how he rhymed “persuasion” and “equation.” 

:-P What a knack he has for coming up with words that ‘fit!‘ Most of Rick’s songs have a dark edge or a negativity to them in my opinion, but this song is an exception. I would not say this song is a must-hear song for me though. It’s not what I’d call a favorite, but it’s a good song. It’s refreshing (but almost odd…LOL) to hear a song full of positive lines coming from Rick’s mouth. It’s a feel good song you can dance around to and has a great 80’s beat. The lyrics MAKE me want to jump up and do exactly what he’s saying, “So don’t let nobody sit you down. Stand up!” Ok Rick…we’re up on our feet now. ;-) 

Oh yes…did I mention the scene in the movie for this song? I realize this is an actual song review, but the performance that goes with it is all I can see in my mind’s eye. I’m not sure Rick would have written a song ‘like this’ if the movie were not involved. The song sounds very “Jamie Roberts” to me, but the actual stage performance for this one in H2H reminds me so much of Rick. So it’s kind of weird for me in that aspect. 

“Stand Up” is what really kicks off H2H! It gets you pumped up and ready for action. And I must say…Rick looks amazing in this part of the movie. I love the clothes, I love the performance and I love the energy. I wish I had HALF that man’s energy! The “Stand Up” repetition about a minute into the song is a bit much though. It seems to drag out a bit too long for me, but then he saves it when he bursts in with a great lyric---“You wanna own the world. You want it stuffed and mounted. You can’t do it sitting down, stand up and be counted.” That’s an interesting line and it speaks a lot of truth. If you want something, you have to go out there and get it. It won’t come to you. He also talks about breaking rules. Well, sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t! 

As I’m reviewing this song and listening to Stand Up, I just noticed something I don’t recall hearing before. There’s a part in there where the backgrounds vocals say, “Bop shoo whop.” LOL! Maybe I’ve just forgotten that little ‘add-in’ as I really don’t listen to this song a lot. It’s odd how that just jumped out at me!

Another lyric I like is, “Don’t let nobody push you ‘round, you gotta stand up.” His voice is full of conviction here, and I think that’s a great message. But I wish I had listened to him ‘back then’ and taken that advice to heart. I went through many a heartache because I DIDN’T ‘stand up’ for a lot of what I believed in. Apparently I just didn’t have that in me in my younger years, but it’s become a part of me now. =)  - Kelley Pearson