Hear that outside? Go feed the dogs
They're begging, barking, bashing at their homes
Cold and wet and dirty like the earth
That mashes muddy molding marching boots
Now rain is beating beats and beading down the view
That foggy, hazy drumming of the rain

Hear that outside? They're coming in
They're banging, knocking, shouting at the door
Fists are heavy, pounds of pounding placed
Firm and steady rhythms that they pace
Out and in and in and out, we named
Everything and everyone we've known

Hear that outside? We lost our homes
Given up in loans and time we paid
Worth more to us than them, so we end
Our lives with backs that strained to find
A pretty place and life to call our own
A place that we will never, ever know

Hear that outside? We lost the war
How easy it is done, if we never knew
It started back before I was born
All of us, all of us were rubber souls
We borrowed life and shared it with our own
And now we need to stretch and find our own

Hear that outside? Go feed the dogs
They're begging, barking, bashing at their homes
Cold and wet and dirty like the earth
That mashes muddy molding marching boots
Now rain is beating beats and beading down the view
That foggy, hazy drumming of that rain

Hear that outside? It's changing airs
And bleeding out the colors of the world


Lyrics submitted by lendmeyourbrain

Out and In and In and Out Lyrics as written by John Baldwin Gourley

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Out and In and In and Out song meanings
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    Meaning - it seems simple to me, but my mind and John's seem to share some similar thoughts. I also know a little about him. But the repeating lines, such as those describing the dogs and whatnot, are loose depictions of his home in Alaska. The rest goes on to talk about a recurring theme in a lot of his music, which is related to the way the "system" works in this world. It describes toiling away and basically giving all of your time to banks and those with money just to try and be able to get a piece of land / life / peace of mind for yourself. The lyrics continue by saying it's futile. Which I don't particularly like, myself. The PNW, and Alaska, are somewhat unique in that people are much more interested in really carving out a piece of life for themselves - land is a little more open and people are a little more of the homesteading type. I also find it amusing, though I don't wish to badmouth him in any way, but the way John talks about that stuff. The guy was working construction until a chance to sing for a friend's band came up, and granted he paid some dues in getting Portugal up and running to the point they came to with all the success, but he often refers to back breaking labor and unwarranted work, though his family is blue collar and he would have been had he not gotten into music like he did. And while he works hard at the music thing, a lot of it is sitting around with friends. Just ironic to me... Not to say he wouldn't understand, but maybe then it's just me fighting with the depressing nature of the lyrics - trust the NW to be depressed about shit.

    enltguyon April 27, 2013   Link

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