Cadillac Dreams

Kiss · Hot In The Shade [1989]

When I was seventeen, found out just what it means

If you can get it free, it just ain't worth a damn



When I heard the preacher say, don't throw your life away

I got that message, and I wrote it on the wall



I don't want anybody tellin' me lies, no, I don't want your diamond ring

'Cause you ain't got my size



I want money, money, that's what I need,

I got Cadillac dreams, please mister don'tcha take it from me

Give me money, money, more than I need, I got Cadillac dreams waitin' on me

Cadillac dreams, Cadillac dreams



When I had the young boy blues, I paid some young boy dues

I learned the hard way, there's a heartbreak every day



Stone cold reality came crashing down on me

Well life was hard on me, but I still don't give a damn



When I was seventeen I was an angry young man

But I won't let just anybody tell me who I am



I just want money, money, that's all I need

I got Cadillac dreams, hey mister don'tcha take it from me

Give me money, money, more than I need, these Cadillac dreams are waitin' on me



Didn't have the time of day, till this dream was born

You can't take that away, you can't take that away from me



When I was seventeen, there was this beauty queen

Checked in a one room suite, the back seat of my car



When you want all the best things money can buy

You gotta reach down inside of you, to reach up to the sky



Yeah, I want money, money, that's all I need

I got Cadillac dreams, hey mister you can't take that from me

I want money, money, more than I need, I got Cadillac dreams waitin' on me



Money, money, that's what I need

We're drivin' in my Chevy with my Cadillac dreams

Someday, one day, just you and me

We'll ride inside these Cadillac dreams

About Cadillac Dreams

"Cadillac Dreams" is a track by Kiss from their 1989 album *Hot In The Shade*. Released during the band's transition from hard rock to a more polished, pop-inflected sound, the song exemplifies the group's signature blend of theatrical vocals and driving rhythms. The recording features Paul Stanley's distinctive lead vocals and the band's characteristic guitar work, capturing the late 80s aesthetic that defined their catalog during this period. While the song shares thematic elements with Kiss's broader body of work regarding romance and desire, it stands as a distinct song in their discography, reflecting the musical direction they pursued in the early 1990s. It remains a notable example of the band's ability to adapt their sound while maintaining their iconic identity.