About The Song
“Every Which Way but Loose” was written by Steve Dorff, Snuff Garrett, and Milton Brown. Eddie Rabbitt recorded the song in 1978 with Garrett producing for Elektra Records. Released in late 1978 as the title track from the soundtrack to the Clint Eastwood film of the same name, the single featured “Under the Double Eagle” as its B-side and quickly became one of Rabbitt’s most recognizable hits.
The record debuted at number eighteen on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, the highest debut on that survey since it expanded to one hundred positions. It climbed to number one and held the top spot for three weeks in February 1979. The song also crossed over to the pop market, peaking at number thirty on the Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty-six on the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached number one on the Canadian country chart and charted in several other countries, including the United Kingdom.
The lyric centers on a man who has always avoided long-term commitments. He finds himself drawn to a free-spirited woman who unsettles his usual detachment. Despite telling himself to move on, he remains under her influence, turned “every which way but loose.” The mid-tempo arrangement, with its distinctive pedal-steel touches, matched the song’s mix of reluctance and attraction.
The writers composed the song quickly, working largely by telephone and with limited knowledge of the film’s plot. Rabbitt made minor adjustments before recording. The timing of the release, just ahead of the movie’s wide opening, helped the single gain immediate attention. The film itself, a comedy starring Eastwood as a trucker traveling with his orangutan companion, became a major box-office success and gave the soundtrack additional visibility.
By the late 1970s Rabbitt was already establishing a consistent run of country hits. “Every Which Way but Loose” continued that momentum as part of a string of consecutive number-one singles. It remains closely associated with both his career and the popular Eastwood film, appearing regularly on compilations of his work and on soundtracks of the era.
Within the country music of the late 1970s, Eddie Rabbitt’s “Every Which Way but Loose” stands as a notable crossover success. Its strong chart performance, connection to a widely seen film, and lasting place in Rabbitt’s catalog have kept it among the better-known recordings of his peak years.
Video
Lyric
I’ve always been the kind of man
Who doesn’t believe in strings
Long-term obligations are just unnecessary things
But girl, you got me thinkin’
While I’m drinkin’ one more beer
If I’m headed for a heartache
Then why the hell am I still here?
I’m testin’ my resistance
And it’s wearing mighty thin
I’ve got the feeling I should leave
Before the roof caves in
My mind tells me to move along
But my body begs me to stay
And now I feel the need to hold you close
And love the night away
While you’re turnin’ me
Every which way but loose, you turn me
Every which way but loose
Inside, the fire’s burning me
In my mind, you just keep turnin’ me
Every which way but loose
Baby, there’s no excuse to turn me
Every which way but loose
When the sun comes up in the morning
It should find me someplace new
But right this minute, all I want
Is to lay here next to you
Those memories still keep callin’ me
From somewhere in my past
Better hurry if they want me
‘Cause I can feel me fadin’ fast
While you’re turnin’ me
Every which way but loose, you turn me
Every which way but loose
Inside, the fire’s burning me
In my mind, you just keep turnin’ me
Every which way but loose
Baby, there’s no excuse to turn me
Every which way but loose