Standing in line to see the show tonight
And there's a light on, heavy glow
By the way, I tried to say
I'd be there, waiting for
Dani the girl is singing songs to me
Beneath the marquee, overload

Steak knife, card shark
Con job, boot cut
Skin that flick, she's such a little DJ
Get there quick by street but not the freeway
Turn that trick to make a little leeway
Beat that nic, but not the way that we play
Dogtown, blood bath
Rib cage, soft tail

Standing in line to see the show tonight
And there's a light on, heavy glow
By the way, I tried to say
I'd be there, waiting for

Black jack, dope dick
Pawn shop, quick pick
Kiss that dyke, I know you want to hold one
Not on strike but I'm about to bowl one
Bite that mic, I know you never stole one
Girls that like a story, so I told one
Song bird, main line
Cash back, hard top

Standing in line to see the show tonight
And there's a light on, heavy glow
By the way, I tried to say
I'd be there waiting for
Dani, the girl, is singing songs to me
Beneath the marquee, oversold
By the way, I tried to say
I'd be there waiting for

Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah, guess you never meant it
Ooh, ah

Standing in line to see the show tonight
And there's a light on, heavy glow
By the way, I tried to say
I'd be there waiting for
Dani, the girl, is singing songs to me
Beneath the marquee, oversold
By the way, I tried to say
I know you from before

Standing in line to see the show tonight
And there's a light on, heavy glow
By the way, I tried to say
I'd be there waiting for


Lyrics submitted by treestump, edited by Mellow_Harsher, tavy13, Hyrikan, lovelymoon11, MasterMind007

By the Way Lyrics as written by John Anthony Frusciante Michael Peter Balzary

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

By the Way song meanings
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244 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    i think the chorus is about him choosing a prostitute over the perfect girl. the prostitute is "singing her song" and trying to get him to pick her up and he feels overloaded. the heavy glow refers to the decision he has to make - stay waiting for the girl of his dreams or just be drawn into the pleasures of sin. it goes on to describe his dream girl while also refering to what he does involving the prostitute and sin. let me explain my reasoning.: steak knife card shark con job boot cut -all have to do with sin and lust. the hooker might have been wearing boot cut jeans. the rest of them are kinda self explanitory.

    Skin that flick she's such a little DJ to get there quick by street but not the freeway

    • what he wants his dream girl to be like - he wants to take his time to find her (by the street) and isnt in a hurry (not the freeway) turn that trick to make a little leeway beat that nic but not the way that we play
    • refers to the prostitute and sin.. he ussually doesnt get involved in sin but was persuaded and has gotten into trouble

    dogtown blood bath rib cage soft tal

    • describe the trouble that came with lust and sin orr maybe ribcage refers to his heart wanting the dream girl but i think he just got hit int he rib or something. black jack dope dick pawn shop quick pick
    • more sin

    kiss that dyke i know you want to hold one not on strike but I'm about to bowl one

    • with the prostitute bite that mic I know you never stole one girls that like a story, so I told one -wants his girl to be a rocker - shes loving and has never steals emotions... shes just a fairy tale hes dreaming up. song bird main line -dream girl - maybe refering to the main line of the song - by teh way i tried to say id be there waiting for...[her, his dream] cash back hard top -paying the prostitute aster satisfying his lust in a car.

    i would think that the last chorus would be like the others except for the "of her soul" instead of "overload". this leads me to believe that he wishes the prostitute could be the girl of his dreams and that she would sing to him from her soul but shes really just a prostitute and hes still waiting for his true love.

    a1stbornunicornon July 22, 2002   Link

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