The 1980s File Feature
I Get Excited
The Story Behind I Get Excited by Rick Springfield In the early 1980s, Rick Springfield occupied a rare position in pop culture, a genuine double threat who …
01 The Story
The Story Behind "I Get Excited" by Rick Springfield
In the early 1980s, Rick Springfield occupied a rare position in pop culture, a genuine double threat who was both a chart-topping rock star and a popular soap opera actor. Riding the massive success of his breakthrough hit, he became one of the most recognizable faces and voices of the era. "I Get Excited" arrived in 1982 as an energetic, hook-laden rock single that showcased the catchy, guitar-driven pop-rock that was his stock in trade. It captured Springfield at the height of his fame, delivering the kind of upbeat, radio-ready rock that made him a teen idol and a serious hitmaker.
Rock Star and Soap Star
Rick Springfield had pursued music for years before achieving massive success, his career boosted enormously by both his enormous breakthrough single and his role on a popular daytime drama. By 1982 he was a bona fide star on multiple fronts. "I Get Excited" appeared on Springfield's successful 1982 album Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet. The album followed his commercial breakthrough and aimed to build on that momentum. The song was one of its energetic highlights, showcasing the punchy, melodic rock that had made Springfield a star. It arrived during his most commercially successful period, when his combination of musical talent and screen charisma made him a ubiquitous presence.
Punchy Pop-Rock
The song is a tight, energetic piece of early-1980s pop-rock, built on bright guitars and an irresistible hook. Driven by a propulsive rhythm and Springfield's earnest, enthusiastic vocal, the track radiates upbeat energy. The production is clean and polished, in keeping with the radio-friendly rock sound of the era. The song moves with confidence and momentum, packing a memorable chorus into a compact, hard-driving arrangement. It showcases Springfield's gift for crafting catchy, accessible rock songs that balanced genuine guitar muscle with pop sensibility. It is the kind of song built to sound great blasting from a car radio.
A Solid Chart Showing
On the Billboard Hot 100, "I Get Excited" gave Springfield another respectable hit during his peak years. The single debuted at number 75 on September 11, 1982, and climbed steadily over the following weeks. The track reached its peak of number 32 during the week of October 30, 1982. It spent 12 weeks on the Hot 100, a solid run that reflected Springfield's strong commercial standing at the time. While it did not reach the heights of his signature smash, it was another reliable hit in a remarkable run, confirming his status as one of the era's most consistent pop-rock hitmakers.
The Double Life of a Star
Rick Springfield's career presented an unusual case in early-1980s pop culture, a performer who succeeded simultaneously in two demanding fields. His role on a popular daytime drama made him a familiar face in millions of households, while his music made him a fixture on the radio and on MTV. This dual fame created a feedback loop, with each career boosting the other and making Springfield one of the most visible figures of the era. Some critics were tempted to dismiss him as a soap-opera actor dabbling in music, but his genuine songwriting talent and his ability to craft catchy, well-constructed pop-rock songs proved them wrong. Songs like this one demonstrated real musical substance beneath the heartthrob image. Springfield managed to be taken seriously as a musician even while enjoying teen-idol status, a difficult balance that few performers achieved. His success across both television and music made him a uniquely ubiquitous presence during the early part of the decade.
A Hit From a Star's Prime
"I Get Excited" stands as a representative example of Rick Springfield's appealing pop-rock during his commercial heyday. It captured the energy and melodic gifts that made him a star, a catchy, upbeat song from an artist at the peak of his popularity. With around 1 million YouTube views, the track continues to draw listeners who appreciate its bright, energetic charm. It remains a fun reminder of a uniquely successful era in Springfield's career. Press play and feel the infectious energy of early-1980s pop-rock.
"I Get Excited" — Rick Springfield's singular moment on the 1980s charts.
02 Song Meaning
The Meaning of "I Get Excited" by Rick Springfield
"I Get Excited" is an exuberant celebration of the thrill of attraction and desire. The song captures the rush of excitement that comes from being with someone you are crazy about, the electric feeling of anticipation and passion. Its title says it all: this is a song about the pure, energizing joy of romantic and physical excitement. With its upbeat energy and enthusiastic delivery, it conveys the heady, intoxicating feeling of being swept up in attraction.
The Rush of Attraction
The central theme is the exhilaration of desire. The song captures the electric, anticipatory feeling of being intensely attracted to someone. That rush of excitement is its entire subject, conveyed through both the lyrics and the propulsive music. The song does not analyze or complicate the feeling; it simply revels in it. The narrator is thrilled by the object of his affection, and the song channels that thrill into pure energy, making the listener feel the same buzz of anticipation.
Energy and Enthusiasm
The song's high-energy delivery is essential to its meaning. The driving rhythm and enthusiastic vocal embody the excitement the lyrics describe, turning a feeling into pure momentum. The music does not just talk about excitement; it generates it. That fusion of message and energy is central to the song's appeal, making it impossible to listen to without feeling some of the same rush. The song treats attraction as an exhilarating, almost physical force, and the music matches that intensity.
Uncomplicated Desire
What makes the song appealing is its straightforwardness. It celebrates attraction without anxiety, jealousy, or complication, focusing purely on the positive thrill of desire. There is no heartbreak or doubt here, only the joyful excitement of wanting someone. That uncomplicated positivity gives the song its bright, carefree quality. It captures attraction at its most fun and energizing, before any of the difficulties of relationships enter the picture, offering a pure shot of romantic enthusiasm.
Youthful Energy Bottled
The song captures a distinctly youthful kind of feeling. The breathless excitement it describes belongs to the early, electric stage of attraction, when everything feels new and charged with possibility. That sense of youthful enthusiasm runs through both the lyrics and the propulsive music. The song does not concern itself with the complications that come later in relationships; it lives entirely in the giddy first rush. That focus on the thrilling beginning gives the song its bright, energetic spirit and makes it a perfect bottling of romantic excitement at its most exhilarating.
Why It Resonates
The song connects because the thrill of attraction is a universal and exciting feeling. Everyone recognizes the rush of being crazy about someone, and the song captures that feeling perfectly. Its infectious energy makes that excitement contagious, lifting the listener's mood. Delivered with Springfield's enthusiastic, charismatic style, the celebration of desire lands with real punch. "I Get Excited" endures as an upbeat anthem of attraction, a reminder of the pure, energizing joy that desire can bring.
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