Broadway Lyrics
Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young men sitting
In the old man's bar
Waiting for his turn to die
And Friday night's gone too far
The dim light hides the years
On all the faded girls
You drink it off your mind
You talk about the world
Like it's someplace that you've been
But you know you ain't got one
And you're livin' in a world
That you're best forgotten around here
Forget your only son
You pray to statues when you sober up for fun
Your anger don't impress me
The world slapped in your face
It always rains like hell on the losers day parade
But you know you ain't got one
'Cause you're livin' in a world that you're best forgotten
And when you're thinkin' you're a joke
And nobody's gonna listen
To the one small point
I know they been missin' round here
But you know you ain't got one
'Cause you're livin' in a world that you're best forgotten
And when you're thinkin' you're a joke
Do you think that they'll listen
To the one small point
I know they been missin' round here
this song is about the neighborhood in buffalo where john grew up. it was very blue collar and heavily polish. john is telling about how all the dads would go to the bars and drink their problems away, never aspiring to do anything or go anywhere- just drink (you talk about the world like its someplace that you've been). they did it because it's what their fathers had done, and they did it because it's what ther fathers had done, and so on. and now john watches as the next generation starts to fall into the cycle as well (see the young man sitting in the old man's bar, waiting for his turn to die).
This could really be the elegy of Buffalo, NY. The line, "It always rains like Hell on the Loser's Day Parade" typifies the sentiment there that they can never come out on top. I myself am a big Buffalo sports fan, and the failings in those venues (football and hockey) typify the course of the city as a dying giant.
Of course the city is turning around as this is being written, but this song was written in the midst of industrial exodus and urban demise. A city motto during my childhood was "Buffalo Talking Proud," but there wasn't much to be proud about in the 90's and early 2000's. So a young guy had no future in that setting. So he goes down to Broadway because he doesn't fit into the young crowd, instead he hangs out at the dives.
To me, the whole song revolves around one line: "You think you're a joke, and nobody's gonna listen to the one small point I know they've been missing 'round here." What's the one small point? To me, it's that Buffalo is a city filled with good, honest, hard working people. Everyone wants to thumb their nose at the city for a number of reasons: climate, location, the perceived "loser" status, it's 2nd billing to NYC, taxes. But if the powers that be would LISTEN and follow their hearts, they could see that it's a city of great promise.
I can't believe no one has commented! This is such a deep song... I'd love for someone to tell me what they think it means. :)
I think it is about a town and the people in it.
i reallllly like this song...i always thought it was about someone's father. the guy's a drunk, and kind of a waste of life, and as much as the son resents his dad's life and his lack of attention, (You see you'd love to run home But you know you ain't got one And you're livin' in a world That you're best forgotten around here) he does sort of miss him.
This is one of the Goo Goo Dolls best songs, I think. "happyfrappy" says it best I think. Way to go! Thanks.
b
wow... i can't believe these are the only comments. this is such a wonderful song! i always thought it was about a person watching a loved one (i suppose it could be a father... yeah, more than likely it is) waste their life while that person gets sick of sitting back and quietly watching. i could be wrong, but that's my interpretation. someone else comment on what they think
word, this song is great, really catchy, one of those songs that get stuck in your head.
Likewise, this is one of my favorite songs and I was surprised that not many people commented on it. The music vid of this song is really cool.
I love this song,don't really know what it means,however its great.I love the GGDs.They rock.I entered tha contest at Wet Seal.