When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going

Album

Carol Douglas Album

Label

Jive Records

Genre

Stage & Screen

Composer(s)

Wayne Anton Brathwaite;Barry James Eastmond;Mutt Lange;Billy Ocean

Entered Chart

Nov 30, 1985

Peak Date

Feb 15, 1986

Released

15 November 1985

Recorded

1985

Catalog #

Jive 1-9432

B-Side

(instrumental)

This is from the soundtrack of the movie The Jewel Of The Nile. The film's three: stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito sang backup, but because they were not members of the Musicians Union, Ocean's video was banned in the UK. Despite this handicap, the song became Ocean's only #1 UK hit. The origin of the saying that inspired this is not certain, but it has been attributed to Joseph P Kennedy, the father of John F Kennedy and one time US Ambassador to Britain. This was co-written by Billy Ocean and produced by "Mutt" Lange, whose only previously UK #1 had been back in 1978 when the Boomtown Rats topped the UK chart with "Rat Trap." Ocean was inspired to use the title phrase by one particular scene in The Jewel Of The Nile when Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas' characters (Joan and Jack) are discussing their future. Joan turns to Jack and says, "When the going gets tough, the tough well, I don't know what the tough do." Billy Ocean was born Leslie Charles in Trinidad on January 21, 1950. Ocean moved to England at the age of 8, and by his teenage years, was singing regularly in London clubs. His first hit single came in 1975 with "Love Really Hurts Without You," which peaked on the singles chart at #2 in the UK and #22 in the US. Ocean had hits in the '80s with "Caribbean Queen," "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" and "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car." If Ocean had shaved one word from the title, this song may have hit the top spot in America. Ocean had three #1 hits in the US, and they all had eight word titles: "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)," "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)," and "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car."

When the going gets tough
The tough get going, tough, tough, huh, huh, huh
When the going gets tough, the tough get ready

Tough, tough, tough

Yeah, oh, do da do da
I got something to tell you
I got something to say
I'm gonna put this dream in motion
I Never let nothing stand in my way
When the going gets touch
The tough get going

I'm gonna get myself 'cross the river
That's the price I'm willing to pay
I'm gonna make you stand and deliver
And give me love in the old-fashion way woh

Darlin', I'll climb any mountain
Darlin', I'll do anything

Oh (oh) can I touch you (can I touch you)
And do the things that lovers do
Oh (oh) want to hold you (wanna hold you)
I gotta get it through to you, oh

When the going gets tough
The tough get going
When the going gets rough
The tough get rough
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Oh baby

I'm gonna buy me a one-way ticket
Nothin's gonna hold me back
Your love's like a slow train coming (slow train coming)
And I feel it coming down the track (woh)

Darlin', I'll climb any mountain
Darlin', I'll do anything
Oh (oh) can I touch you (can I touch you)
And do the things that lovers do
Oh, (oh) want to hold you (wanna hold you)
I gotta get it through to you (oh)
'Cause when the going gets tough
The tough get going
When the going gets rough
The tough get rough

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (oh hit it)
Oh oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Touch me baby oh oh

Darlin', I'll climb any mountain
Darlin', I'll swim any sea
Darlin', I'll reach for the heaven
Darlin', with you lovin' me
Oh (oh)

Oh, can I touch you (can I touch you)
Do the things that lovers do (can I touch you)
Oh, want to hold you (wanna hold you)
I gotta get it through to you

When the going gets tough
Going gets tough
Going gets rough
Going gets rough

When the going gets tough
Going gets tough
Going gets rough
Going gets rough

When the going gets tough
Going gets tough
Going gets rough
Going gets rough
When the going gets tough