This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I wish that clouds could hold me up
Like I thought as a child growing up
I wish I could sound as soothing as the rainfall
But I am only a drop from the storm
I feel like a tourist out in the country
Once this whole world was all countryside
Feel like a tourist in the big city
Soon I will simply evaporate
They took the strings up north, the drums down south
After they crossed Afghanistan a long time ago
You're shuffling your feet into the next dimension
Soon skyscrapers will be everywhere
I feel like a tourist lost in the suburbs
Soon the whole world will be urban sprawl
Feel like a land lover out on the ocean
Feel like a teardrop streaming off your chin
Some will bet against you, try even to prevent you
But not many can stop you man, if you got a perfect plan
Can they possibly try, I demand to know why they would doubt you?
In this hand, a thousand generations
Feel like a tourist out in the desert
So hot it feels like the Devil's breath
Feel like a tourist out in the swampland
This world is just patches of water and land
Everywhere I go I'm a tourist
But if you stay with me, I'll always be at home
Like I thought as a child growing up
I wish I could sound as soothing as the rainfall
But I am only a drop from the storm
I feel like a tourist out in the country
Once this whole world was all countryside
Feel like a tourist in the big city
Soon I will simply evaporate
They took the strings up north, the drums down south
After they crossed Afghanistan a long time ago
You're shuffling your feet into the next dimension
Soon skyscrapers will be everywhere
I feel like a tourist lost in the suburbs
Soon the whole world will be urban sprawl
Feel like a land lover out on the ocean
Feel like a teardrop streaming off your chin
Some will bet against you, try even to prevent you
But not many can stop you man, if you got a perfect plan
Can they possibly try, I demand to know why they would doubt you?
In this hand, a thousand generations
Feel like a tourist out in the desert
So hot it feels like the Devil's breath
Feel like a tourist out in the swampland
This world is just patches of water and land
Everywhere I go I'm a tourist
But if you stay with me, I'll always be at home
Lyrics submitted by 4ChordsoftheApocalypse
Tourist Lyrics as written by Julian Casablancas
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
i think the main concept of the song is the idea of, loneliness and feeling lost with know sense of direction without someone and feeling completely content and fearless with that person.
however this year i have been studying the novel "the kite runner" at school and if feels almost the first few verses refer to the novel and carry similar themes from the novel
"I wish that clouds could hold me up like I thought as a child growing up I wish I could sound as soothing as the rainfall But I am only a drop from the storm."
"I feel like a tourist out in the country Once this whole world was all countryside Feel like a tourist in the big city Soon I will simply evaporate" one of the novel's famous quotes is "i feel like a tourist in my own country" which may have stemmed the main idea of the song. However in the book he feels like a tourist because his home country, Afghanistan, has changed due to war and taliban ruling. So I feel this verse relates more closely to Julian's personal feelings of 'feeling like a tourist'.
"They took the strings up north, the drums down south After they crossed Afghanistan a long time ago You're shuffling your feet into the next dimension Soon skyscrapers will be everywhere"
the references of Afghanistan relates to the setting of the book as the main characters home town is Afghanistan. he moves however to San Francisco a city with 'skyscrapers'. Also we know from the meaning of Julian's music video "11th dimension", the idea of becoming a better person, listening to your wholesome good conscience, will lead you on to the next dimension. And so i connect this to the main character in the kite runner, listening to his good conscience to finally seek redemption. After he seeks redemption, his guilt is no longer relentless so he is in the "next dimension" a better place in his mind. The character also seems lost without his best friend, and found when he is united with his best friends son.
Ultimately I doubt Julian wrote this song purposely relating so close to the book, but it just reminds me a lot of it. I've noticed him using references before so it would be cool if he had made some with 'the kite runner'.
but the song must relate to redemption and following a good conscious, and the idea of feeling lost without someone and found with them