15 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
Q&A

Crawling Back To You Lyrics

Waiting by the side of the road
For day to break so we could go
Down into Los Angeles
With dirty hands and worn out knees

I keep crawling back to you
I keep crawling back to you

The ranger came with burning eyes
The chambermaid awoke surprised
Thought she'd seen the last of him
She shook her head and let him in

Hey baby, there's something in your eyes
Tryin' to say to me
That I'm gonna be alright if I believe in you
It's all I want to do

It was me and my sidekick
He was drunk and I was sick
We were caught up in a barroom fight
Till an Indian shot out the lights

I'm so tired of being tired
Sure as night will follow day
Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway

I keep crawling back to you
I keep crawling back to you
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

15 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

I think this song is 100% about anxiety and depression. From

someone who suffers it and listens to a lot of music this song has connnected with me

in that way that none other has..

If you have a mental illness and suffer from depression or anxiety you know the

feeling of never escaping it, no matter what (I keep crawling back to you).

"Waiting by the side of the road For day to break so we could go Down into Los Angeles With dirty hands and worn out knees"

Its so fucking hard to get up in the morning (thats if you even went to sleep because

you're an insomniac mess) as a person who is severly depressed, you feel worn out,

nothing can make you feel better, its a horrible feeling, i wouldnt wish it apon

anyone else. You feel dirty, because people say to you "cant you just be happy" and

fuck me i wish it was that easy.

"The ranger came with burning eyes The chambermaid awoke surprised Thought she'd seen the last of him She shook her head and let him in"

Everyone with depressiona and anxiety tries to beat it, noone wants to suffer from

this disease, its god awful. But for most of us no matter what we let that fucking

demon back in. Why? Fuck knows. I've felt like I've beat depression quite a few

times, only to fall straight back into that ditch.

"Hey baby, there's something in your eyes Tryin' to say to me That I'm gonna be alright if I believe in you It's all I want to do"

Every partner has tried to "fix" me, said I'm gonna be alright if I console in them,

most of the time they dont understand whats going on my head, how could you? how

could you empathise with someone who wants to die? I dont neccesarily want to kill

myself but more that that I just dont want to keep on living anymore. How??

"It was me and my sidekick He was drunk and I was sick We were caught up in a barroom fight Till an Indian shot out the lights"

My sidekick... Someone who never leaves my side... my fucking mind, my shadow, the

fucking demon that chases me and never leaves me alone, why cant he fuck off and just

let me enjoy myself? We fight eachother day in day out. God fucking dammit I hate my

depression.

"I'm so tired of being tired Sure as night will follow day Most things I worry about Never happen anyway"

This is the fucking kicker. Every time I feel depression crawling back its because

I'm tired of being tired, it's as sure as night follows day.

but of course, I also suffer from anxiety, why am I anxious? I dont fucking know, I

just am, most of the time I'm anxious for somethign that doesnt eventuate. This verse

sold this song on me, caught me and destroyed me. These 4 lines sum up this song and

my mind completely.

Depression... I keep crawling back to you...

@jermsz This is an interesting interpretation. It's fun how anxiety and depression go together isn't it? So when you're done being worried about nothing you can be sad because nothing is wrong.

I've come to feel like I never kick it, but it goes into remission. I think it's something that will always be with me.

@jermsz wow, read this while listening. going thru it so bad right now. your interpretation is as good as the song

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

I like the way it's all definite images and story until the last verse. I just think that works well. Plus, it's a really good song. One of the best off of what I consider the best album by one of the best musicians of all time.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

i agree. one of my favorites from tom petty. wildflowers was such an underrated album.

@benulitron Especially with the re release of the all the rest. That album hits it out of the park….again. I would put it above Great Wide Open and Last DJ. And they were my favorites

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

i cant believe there arent more comments on this song, its so amazing. after someone close to me died i couldnt stop listening to this song. the piano and tom petty's voice are just so comforting. i think its about loneliness, going from one place to the next with no direction. the line "I'm so tired of being tired" definetly highlights the feeling of being so lonely and worn out. to me this song is the feeling being somewhere that doesnt feel like home, and you cant stay there long so you have to keep going, keep running around.

I'm surprised at how few comments have been left as well. I listened to it endlessly for months when my brother died in 2005. It was a big help in my eventually coming to peace with his death.

I'm surprised at how few comments have been left as well. I listened to it endlessly for months when my brother died in 2005. It was a big help in my eventually coming to peace with his death.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

It took me awhile but i love this song. So much pain, but the hope endures. My interpretation is a little strange---I feel he is writing about illegal aliens coming across the US border to work. They are talking about the USA when they say "crawling back to you." The jobs they get are really bottom of the barrel, for instance, plumbers' helper's helper or...chambermaid, changing sheets in motels day after day, for low wages and non-existent benefits. And always the fear of the INS catching them and sending them back across the border--"The ranger came with burning eyes..." the chambermaid can't do a thing about it except sneak back in, one more time...that is reality. The storyteller sounds like he stays drunk a lot of the time to ease the pain of the monotony, the loneliness, the uncertainty...but he knows he is making more money than he could ever dream of making where he came from, Mexico or Central America. Pretty much every day sucks but people keep telling him there is an opportunity to grab here...he pictures the USA is saying to him, "everything's gonna be all right if I believe in you." And day after day, he keeps crawling back.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

I sure do miss you Tom. Rest In Peace my friend.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

one of the best songs Petty has ever written. I absolutely love this song.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

I'm so tired of being tired Sure as night will follow day Most things I worry about Never happen anyway

i love those lyrics great song

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

this song haunts me. it's incredible.

Cover art for Crawling Back To You lyrics by Tom Petty

Geez, I guess if you want the good comments, look at the good songs. I agree with everyone. I know it's amazing to say, but Wildflowers tops anything the Heartbreakers put out. This song is so good, I really wish that it was the closer to the album.

bssm, I think you're on the money with the theme of this song. I can't say for sure what the "plot" is per se, but I definitely agree with your interpretation, although I never thought of it until I read it. Nice moves.