I see myself in the pouring home
I see the light come over known
I see myself in the pouring rain
I watch hope come over me

Here we are now, going to the East side
I pick up my friends and we start to ride
Ride all night and we ride all day
Some may come love and some may stay

Here we are in the pouring home
I watch the light man fallen comb
I watch a light move across the screen
I watch the light come over me

Here we are now going to the West side
Weapons in hand as we go for a ride
Some may come love and some may stay
Watching out for the sunny day, where

There's love and darkness and my sidearm
Hey élan élan

Here we are now going to the North side
I look at my friends as they start to ride
Ride all night and we ride all day
Looking out for the sunny day

Here we are now going to the South side
(To the South side)
I pick up my friends and we hope we won't die
(Hope we won't die)
Ride at night, ride through Heaven and Hell
(Heaven and Hell)
Come back love and I feel so well
(Feel so well)


Lyrics submitted by kevin

South Side Lyrics as written by Richard Melville Hall

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

South Side song meanings
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36 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    the word "elan" means a vigorous spirit or enthusiasm.

    Smokeon July 13, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I like this song a lot. I think its about how violance is takeing over

    MCCTRBon January 17, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    can't remember where i read it but i remember seeing that this song has something to do with moby's vision of an apocalyptic new york city (he's from NYC btw). just my $0.02 :/

    rattleon March 29, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Well, if Moby said it was about an apocalyptic future, and he wrote the song, then that's what the songs is about.

    But if I hadn't heard that from Moby.......

    I would think that it's about getting high. I don't do drugs, but that sounds like a high to me. But, the last line of the song doesn't make sense with this interpretation, because after being high you would probably wouldn't "feel so well," but instead feel bad because you came back to reality.

    tmbwm740on September 07, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Yea, Moby said an interview, that the song was about a couple of kids cruising in their post-apoltlyptic world. Leave it to Moby. Its a great song, though. And I thought the music video was pretty cool, I thought they could have done better, but I like the parody, on celebrities selling themselves to product names though. This is also a greeat make-out song, and I absolutely love it.

    Maya15on August 03, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Reply to:

    "I would think that it's about getting high. I don't do drugs, but that sounds like a high to me."


    I had done drugs at a 17-19 year old age. To me, it sounds exactly to me like those days. The 3rd person sort of 'Here we are now...' bits to me makes it especially seem disconnected, furthering this thought.

    However, I'm a person that listens to only a part of a song, ignores the rest and makes up my own meaning.

    To me, that is exactly what it means, driving around because some deal fell through, or simply cruising after the fact.

    kp1139on September 19, 2008   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    Moby has said this song was inspired by his visits to Chicago. I live there, and for me this song is just a simple tribute to the 4 sides of the city (Yes, there is an East Side, it's not just Lake Michigan). The South and West sides can be dangerous; that's why he describes weapons and death in those verses. I'm from the North side. The lyrics are sparse, but pretty accurate.

    sXe LEXXIon December 09, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    OK, everyone here has had a good shot at what this song is about and I can TOTALLY see where you all are coming from, however, I happen to have personal experience that explains this song to me to a tee. Yes, where you grew up may have something to do with it, I grew up in the suburbs but was constantly in bad neighborhoods or the ghetto by my own choice. This song is all about the choices you choose and need to make for daily survival... Survival of opiate/heroin addiction. You NEVER know what is going to happen or quite WHERE you may end up, but you know you are going and going to back whoever is with you. May be dangerous, may be worse, but YOU are there for better (scoring) or for worse (anything but scoring). I am from the heroin capital of the US and probably the World, but it does NOT matter, all Opiate addicts go through the same sketchy troubles because they need to survive. ESPECIALLY if they are functional addicts like I was. I was and am still a Project Manager in IT for a very good company, but my whole life was a sham, a gamble, a simple ruse to score heroin. Being smart was easy if it meant getting the ultimate goal. This song is all about going through whatever B.S. or sketchiness you need to go through to avoid the sickness of withdrawal. "weapons in hand" and "ride all night we ride all day" and don't forget "looking out for a sunny day" these are all very, VERY obvious references to the existence of trying to score opiates or heroin. I lived that life for a LONG time and there are many songs that speak to this lifestyle. Gwen or Moby or their band member(s) must have had this experience as well. Just watching their interaction in the music video is reminiscent of any heroin/opiate couple. Complete soullessness and hopeless heedless devotion to an unseen chemical. I COULD be wrong, but if I am, this song has not much meaning at all...and is otherwise nothing worth listening too...but i love it because i identify with it in my former self...(thank god I am clean now, OPIATES are a HARD thing to deal with.)

    austinprodon November 03, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    sounds kinda like the mob to me

    SickOfIton June 05, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Just me or does anyone else think this sounds like mob hits or drive-bys?

    Murphy McManuson May 04, 2004   Link

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