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Roll On Lyrics

West of her there's a place know
Never have been but I'd like to go
Somewhere out there I believe in me
And West of her is where I'd like to see

West of her there's another place
Sun shines soft on another face
And the river falls on another sea
And West of her is where I'd like to be

Roll on

I tried out-running you it didn't last
Everything that catches up must come to pass
And your voice is the one inside my head
I ended up out-running myself instead

Roll on

You'll probably end up thinking that I don't care
When you get a letter from a new somewhere
But i know you've got what you need to be
Happy someplace East of me

Roll on
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Cover art for Roll On lyrics by Josh Ritter

Ah. No Ones Commented Yet? One Of His BEST Songs.

My Guess... About A Woman (Obviously) Who He Had A Chance With, But Passed It Up. He Tried To Get It Back ("I Tried Out-Running You It Didnt Last") But Was Unable To.

I Dunno. Beautiful Song Though.

This song talks about a love lost due to the road. He wants to stay with her and keep her as his own but the road is drawing him away--"youll probably end up thinking that i dont care, when you get a letter from a new somewhere"

Its as if he wants to keep the relationship but since he is just a tramp of the road she cant do it. This song is almost like a folk sequal of Sprinsteens Born to Run--bold statement I know but what the hell.

Not Valid
Cover art for Roll On lyrics by Josh Ritter

Very Springsteen-esque.

Hence my love for it.

Cover art for Roll On lyrics by Josh Ritter

The second 2 verses sound like a love song. The first 2 verses remind me of the old Woody Guthrie song "Roll on Columbia," hence the title "Roll On." The Columbia River flows into the Pacific Ocean, which is what the line "and the river falls on another sea" comes from.

Cover art for Roll On lyrics by Josh Ritter

To me, this song is talking about something that's over, like a relationship, and trying to move on or "roll on" and keep going with life. and he's just trying to go someplace else and start new, somewhere west of her. but i think maybe he still misses her (your voice is the one inside my head) but she's someplace else happy so he has to just keep trying to roll on.

that's my try!

Cover art for Roll On lyrics by Josh Ritter

Yes a really great song. There is a great live version he did at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR3SQAGebCg

I agree that it is about a relationship that has ended. I think the 'trick' or the sly, unexpected thing about it is that it begins as if it is going to be about his own redemption in the wake of a relationship that didn't, evidently, end well for him/the first party. ("West of her is a place...I'd like to go"; "West of her there's another place..."). So the first roll on speaks to that--to his/the first party's going to that new place, with other faces that he will roll on towards. But then right after that the third verse has him feeling some doubt and resignation where it starts feeling like maybe he messed up because her voice is still inside his head and trying to outrun her kind of backfired. And then by the final verse it is like he is making some sort of apology to her, thinking she must imagine he doesn't care if she too is "rolling on" and getting letters from a new "somewhere" east of him. But then by the final line, the final 'roll on' he retreats a bit further into resign and remorse and on the basis of what he might have messed up, wishing her well somewhere east of him. The final "roll on" is, then, kind of for both of them.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Roll On lyrics by Josh Ritter

Yes a really great song. There is a great live version he did at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR3SQAGebCg

I agree that it is about a relationship that has ended. I think the 'trick' or the sly, unexpected thing about it is that it begins as if it is going to be about his own redemption in the wake of a relationship that didn't, evidently, end well for him/the first party. ("West of her is a place...I'd like to go"; "West of her there's another place..."). So the first roll on speaks to that--to his/the first party's going to that new place, with other faces that he will roll on towards. But then right after that the third verse has him feeling some doubt and resignation where it starts feeling like maybe he messed up because her voice is still inside his head and trying to outrun her kind of backfired. And then by the final verse it is like he is making some sort of apology to her, thinking she must imagine he doesn't care if she too is "rolling on" and getting letters from a new "somewhere" east of him. But then by the final line, the final 'roll on' he retreats a bit further into resign and remorse and on the basis of what he might have messed up, wishing her well somewhere east of him. The final "roll on" is, then, kind of for both of them.

Song Meaning