A friend of mine that played guitar in high school got a copy of this song the year before it was officially released. They were playing in the gym before us and they played this song. I thought they wrote it until I asked him. It’s a good sounding song live.
It was an instant bar band song. It was a song you didn’t really have to rehearse…just one listen would do it.
This was the only hit for the Georgia Satellites, although lead singer Dan Baird had a hit as a solo artist in 1992 with “I Love You Period.” They didn’t have another big hit but they did have some songs that got airplay on radio and MTV like Battleship Chains and a cover of Hippy Shake.
It was released in 1986 and peaked at #2 in the Billboard 100 and #69 in the UK in 1987.
From Songfacts
Lead singer Dan Baird wrote this about the problems their drummer was having with his girlfriend. He wrote it in one sitting on their tour bus.
The video portrayed a shotgun wedding, complete with very pregnant bride and actual shotgun. It was directed by Bill Fishman, whose other credits include the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” and Good Charlotte’s “Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous.”
Many people thought the line “I’ve got a little change in my pocket, going jingle, linga, ling” was a reference to masturbation. The group denied this.
The group was signed to Elektra Records after executives heard a cheaply made 8-track demo of this song. Elektra gave the band a 5-figure budget to cut an entire album of material, but despite attempting several different recordings of “Keep Your Hands to Yourself,” none of these takes were as good as the demo. The demo was included on the album, and that is the version you hear.
Keep Your Hands To Yourself
I got a little change in my pocket going jingle lingle ling
Want to call you on the telephone baby i give you a ring
But each time we talk i get the same old thing
Always no huggin no kissin until i get a wedding ring
My honey my baby don’t put my love upon no shelf
She said don’t give no lies and keep your hands to yourself
Cruel baby baby baby why you want to treat me this way
You know i’m still your lover boy i still feel the same way
That’s when she told me a story ’bout free milk and a cow
And she said no huggin no kissin until i get a wedding vow
My honey my baby don’t put my love upon no shelf
She said don’t hand me no lies and keep your hands to yourself
You see i wanted her real bad and i was about to give in
That’s when she started talkin’ true love started talkin’ about sin
I said honey i’ll live with you for the rest of my life
She said no huggin no kissin until you make me your wife
My honey my baby don’t put my love on no shelf
She don’t hand me no lies and keep your hands to yourself.
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
I didn’t know Dan Baird was from this band. Not a bad tune, like you say a real bar song. I always seem to think its the Black Crowes when I hear it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I had a compilation album by them…They had quite a few good songs…not all of them were rock like this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did this song come to mind because of the admonitions to wash hands and not touch people? :p Seriously, it was a fun song (and the virus is nothing to joke about).
LikeLiked by 2 people
Maybe subconsciously it did! With the huge media of all kinds now…you can’t miss it. It’s hard to judge it because we didn’t have this small of world when SARS and the others came around…as far as the coverage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This one is sung like a mantra. I also think of The Black Crowes when I hear it. Surprised they only had that one hit. How cool that you were able to hear it a year before everyone else, and live no less!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know…that was a cool introduction…I’ll have to ask him how he got the copy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re the second blogger who’s mentioned them this week, after:
https://superdekes.wordpress.com/2020/03/10/georgia-satellites-georgia-satellites-1986/
I learned about them from another blogger, Cincinatti Babyhead.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks that was interesting. I never had that album…I had a “greatest hits”…which is odd when you think about it. I liked the album a lot. I’m going to listen to “Every Picture Tells a Story”…I want to hear their version.
They do some cool covers. The most interesting one is “Almost Saturday Night”…the old John Fogerty song. It’s my go-to version.
Another original song I like is “Another Chance.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the share!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Badfinger20
In my opinion, his honey is very wise when she told him:
” And she said no huggin no kissin until i get a wedding vow”
Perhaps she read King Solomon’s Song of Song Verse written 3000 years ago. The song has been acclaimed over time as the greatest love song ever written, yet gives this advise to women to consider before they are married.
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you
by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires. (Song of Songs Verse 2:7)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Songs+2&version=NIV
Regards and goodwill blogging.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Scatter!
LikeLike
Great back story on this song. This site looks awesome and I plan on taking some time this weekend to deep dive into some of your posts as a lot of these songs I grew up on as well.
Cheers,
dEke
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m going to do the same with your site…I always had a soft spot for this band.
Thanks for commenting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No probs. Your site looks fantastic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you I appreciate it. It’s great to meet another music fan with similar tastes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never heard it, but I like it… The singer has quite a distinctive voice..
LikeLike
Wow. This song was played to death.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yea but in the UK it probably wasn’t played…hardly at all.
LikeLike
Makes me sad for the stuff we have missed of theirs over here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is A LOT of stuff. They had so many bands that wasn’t heard here. Slade…which Quiet Riot made a living on covering their songs….Small Faces is another one that didn’t get played here…whole bunch.
Some say that a few of them are “too British”
LikeLike
I like British music for the most part. I’ve heard of Slade. I’ve heard Run Runaway.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes Run Runaway…I remember that one in the eighties. That is when I heard of them. Then I found out about Cum On Feel The Noize and Mama Weer all Crazee Now…..
Also in the eighties they had another hit over here. My Oh My around the same time as Run Runaway.
LikeLike
I looked that up. I vaguely remember that.
LikeLike
They hit it big with this…then, went away. It’s fun and quirky.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had a “greatest hits”…which is odd because this one was their one big one. They did have a song called Battleship Chains that was a minor hit.
LikeLike
I remember that, now! I liked it, too.
LikeLike
There are two others I like by them. “Another Chance” and Almost Saturday Night…
They sound really southern on Another Chance.
Fun band
LikeLiked by 1 person
Are you ready for more DW?
LikeLike
I haven’t grabbed DoctorDonna, yet…hold up…
LikeLiked by 1 person
No problem and I’m not rushing Vic…just wondered. I watched Left Turn the other night….or is it Right Turn? Anyway that is one of my favorite Donna episodes.
LikeLike