@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Driving through the long night
Trying to figure who's right and who's wrong
Now the kid has gone. I sit belted up tight,
She sucks on a match light, glowing bronze, steering on.
And I might be more a man if I stopped this in its tracks
And said come on, let's go home. But she's got the wheel,
And I've got nothing except what I have on.
When you're driving with the brakes on,
When you're swimming with your boots on,
It's hard to say you love someone
And it's hard to say you don't.
Trying to keep the mood right, trying to steer the conversation from
The thing we've done.
She shuts up the ashtray and I say it's a long way back now hon
And she just yawns. And we might get lost someplace
So desolate that no one where we're from would ever come
But she's got the wheel and I've got to deal from now on.
But unless the moon falls tonight, unless continents collide,
Nothing's gonna make me break from her side.
Trying to figure who's right and who's wrong
Now the kid has gone. I sit belted up tight,
She sucks on a match light, glowing bronze, steering on.
And I might be more a man if I stopped this in its tracks
And said come on, let's go home. But she's got the wheel,
And I've got nothing except what I have on.
When you're driving with the brakes on,
When you're swimming with your boots on,
It's hard to say you love someone
And it's hard to say you don't.
Trying to keep the mood right, trying to steer the conversation from
The thing we've done.
She shuts up the ashtray and I say it's a long way back now hon
And she just yawns. And we might get lost someplace
So desolate that no one where we're from would ever come
But she's got the wheel and I've got to deal from now on.
But unless the moon falls tonight, unless continents collide,
Nothing's gonna make me break from her side.
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Driving through the long night Trying to figure who's right and who's wrong Now the kid has gone. I sit belted up tight,
--> Here, this may refer to the idea that he has no reached a point in his life where he has to take responsibility for his actions, he is no lonnger a kid, no more excuses, no more free passes, he has to face this and it is a point in his life where he must sit up and take it.
She sucks on a match light, glowing bronze, steering on. And I might be more of a man if I stopped this in it's tracks And said, come on, let's go home. But she's got the wheel, And I've got nothing except what I have on.
---> Here is the guilt for letting her carry things on, maybe in the relationship, he feels he has no control, or that he cannot give her control, total control, he is trying to make excuses for not being able to be "all into it" He just wants to go back to what he knows, the safety of home...
When you're driving with the brakes on When you're swimming with your boots on, It's hard to say you love someone And it's hard to say you don't
--> Whenever you are not totally into something, when you are holding back, not letting go, you are in grey. A middle. And you can't enjoy it all, or experience it. Here he can't say he loves her or that he doesn't. He just doesn't know what he should feel. He is confused, not all into it.
Trying to keep the mood right, trying to steer the conversation from The thing we've done. She shuts up the ashtray, and I say it's a long way back now hon She just yawns. And we might get lost someplace So desolate that no one where we're from would ever come But she's got the wheel and I've got to deal from now on.
----> So here, he is trying his hardest to ignore what has happened between them, like nothing happened. He is searching for a way to get back to normal. But she won't let him. Trying to let him know that he just needs to accept it. To let her love him. To tell him that if he just accepts it, loves her, they could be happy. She won't listen to his fears. And at the end of these lines, he relalizes that he is not in control of it anymore, she is. And that he has to come to terms with that--to open his eyes and take responsibility. To deal.
But unless the moon falls tonight, unless continents collide, Nothing's gonna make me, break from her side
---> And so, in the end, he accepts his place. His responsibility. He was a part of this. It was not just her, but he was also involved. It is time for him to be with her. To stand with her. To love her. To make up his mind. And he knows he cannot live life half in and half out. He is no longer a kid. He can't swim with his boots on, etc. He has to be a man and accept that he is now part of her life. That there is someone else involved in this situation and that if he can just get over his fear, he can share in her love.
I don't think this is "obviously" about abortion as some have suggested. People don't talk about aborting a "kid". They don't usually admit it was a "kid". Also, saying "the kid has gone" infers, due to the word "has", that there was some action(s) by the kid. Aborted babies don't take any actions. Also, "trying to keep the mood right" is not something you do after an abortion. There would be no "keeping the mood right". She's driving, smoking and yawning right after having an abortion? I don't think so.
The "kid" could actually be the girl driving the car and she has gone from home, left home. He has gone with her on the spur of the moment and taken nothing but the clothes on his back. "The thing they've done" is run away. If he "was more a man" he would stop this running away "in its tracks and go back home". But the best he does is hint at it by saying "its a long way back now hon".
His handling of the relationship has been ineffective. "Driving with the brakes on" is ineffective. "Swimming with your boots on" is ineffective. Not expressing himself in the relationship is ineffective. He had/has trouble telling her he loves her and trouble telling her he did not. He has been uncommitted which is ineffective for a relationship.
Finally, he decides to commit to her and the relationship and "nothing gonna make me break from her side" and he is just going to have to "deal" with her decisions, including this one to run far off.
@Sugarlander Thank you. All I see is abortion references which is scratching the surface and stopping at the literaliness of the words. Your interpretation makes much more sense.
seems to be about running away and trying to feel it was the right thing to do.
and it's a great song.
This is just my interpretation- It's as though she had a kid that they had to give up and they're running away from what they did "trying to figure out who's right and who's wrong" and there is still something that will keep them tied down, as though by giving up a kid, they lost a freedom, even though they were trying to be free. And she's in control, she's driving, yet he'll stay with her regardless of anything that happened or anything that is to come.
Anyways... i love this song, it is one of my most favorites.
Actually one of my freinds told me what this was about I hes not even a fan! Firstly I knew it was about a relationship going througha troubled patch. But this was the funny interpretation I was give was about this bit of the song:
"When you're swimming with your boots on, It's hard to say you love someone And it's hard to say you don't"
Swimming with your boots on is having protected sex! It goes without saying "It's hard to say you love someone And it's hard to say you don't"
Still its an interesting twist on the song.
I agree with Online, I don't know anything about swimming with your boots on being sex, but looking at what else the song says, it makes sense, but probably means more than just that, I think he got her pregnant too, and they don't really know if they truly care about each other. At the moment they are just running away, but he knows he'll support her through all that happens.
Has it occurred to anyone that she may just be an unfit mother who is a bit wild and gave up her child for adoption instead of abortion? I'm not so sure she would be driving if she just had an abortion. To me that would be hard as well. The curious part to me is the chorus. "It's hard to say you love someone when you're swimming with your boots on" etc.. It seems like they haven't truly got there yet. There is something between them that just wont let them fall all the way in love yet. Although he refuses to leave her side or give up.
Blimey, this one is a bit obvious. It's about abortion. He was against it happening, but helpless to stop it, and now as it's gone ahead he promises to support his chick anyway.
Read the lines people!
Dangerman is referring to "Trying to figure who's right and who's wrong, Now the kid has gone". Not sure if its about abortion, the kid growing up and leaving home or putting the kid up for adoption.
Its about abortion as far as Im concerned but love the swimming with your boots on interpretation from online..dont think he's singing about that but made me laugh, nice one
Its about abortion as far as Im concerned but love the swimming with your boots on interpretation from online..dont think he's singing about that but made me laugh, nice one