Too Tough to Love

Song Meaning

The lyrics open in the "Satellite Club," where a woman in a "much too tight" dress immediately commands the narrator's attention. He watches her, describing her as "something burning in the night," yet she quickly "brushed me off." This establishes an immediate tension of intense attraction met with sharp rejection, setting a defiant tone. The narrator's initial desire is quickly overshadowed by his frustration. This frustration escalates as the narrator judges her independent actions, remarking, "Someone ought to teach that girl How a woman is supposed to flirt." She continues to assert her dominance, dismissing other men by saying "one by one she shot them down." Her calculated provocation is clear when she "hiked up her skirt" and met his gaze with "cold blue eyes," knowing "how much it hurt" him to be so deliberately toyed with. The repeated refrain, "She's too tough to love," serves as the central, evolving statement of the lyrics. Initially, it appears to be a complaint, a label for her unyielding nature. However, as the narrative progresses, this "toughness" transforms into the very quality that makes her so captivating and unforgettable to the narrator, becoming an ironic declaration of her powerful allure. The lyrics culminate in a sudden, raw encounter as they "made love on the floor" of a taxi, a stark contrast to the earlier dance of rejection and provocation. This aggressive intimacy underscores the unconventional, almost adversarial, nature of their connection. Despite the abrupt end with the narrator jumping out, his final thought, "I'll be back for more," confirms that her formidable independence has not deterred him, but rather solidified his intense, persistent desire.