This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
The first time I saw you
You were chasing down
A cyclone
All alone in a field
With rail yards and clovers
I kept rolling on and never thought
You'd wind up chasing me
Well settle down I won't hesitate
To hit the highway
Before you lay me to waste
Settle up and I'll help you find
Something to drive
Before you drive me insane
You're tired of walking and you
Loathe the ground
The sidewalk will barely
Touch your feet and life moves
Too slowly to hold you down
With ringing hands
You take it out on me
Well settle down I won't hesitate
To hit the highway
Before you lay me to waste
Settle up and I'll help you find
Something to drive
Before you drive me insane
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
Well settle down I won't hesitate
To hit the highway
Before you lay me to waste
Settle up and I'll help you find
Something to drive
Before you drive me insane
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
You were chasing down
A cyclone
All alone in a field
With rail yards and clovers
I kept rolling on and never thought
You'd wind up chasing me
Well settle down I won't hesitate
To hit the highway
Before you lay me to waste
Settle up and I'll help you find
Something to drive
Before you drive me insane
You're tired of walking and you
Loathe the ground
The sidewalk will barely
Touch your feet and life moves
Too slowly to hold you down
With ringing hands
You take it out on me
Well settle down I won't hesitate
To hit the highway
Before you lay me to waste
Settle up and I'll help you find
Something to drive
Before you drive me insane
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
Well settle down I won't hesitate
To hit the highway
Before you lay me to waste
Settle up and I'll help you find
Something to drive
Before you drive me insane
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
Get yourself a car and drive it all alone
Get yourself a car and ride it on the wind
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I think it's more about telling somebody that they need to spend some time by themself, all alone, before they get in to a relationship.
It's about hoping someone will learn to love themself for who they are, and to do that they need to spend some time alone. Just like when you're driving in the car all by yourself, your the only person you have to talk to, even though you're surrounded by other people.
And he wants to help this person become more self respecting.