Heading Out To The Highway Lyrics
Well I've said it before, and I'll say it again
You get nothing for nothing: expect it when
You're backseat driving, and your hands ain't on the wheel
It's easy to go along with the crowd,
And find later on that your say ain't allowed
Oh that's the way to find what you've been missing
I got nothing to lose at all
I'm gonna do it my way
Take a chance before I fall
A chance before I fall!
The choice it is yours to do as you might
The road is open wide to place your bidding
Now, wherever you turn, wherever you go
If you get it wrong, at least you can know
There's miles and miles to put it back together!
I got nothing to lose at all
I'm gonna do it my way
Take a chance before I fall
A chance before I fall!
On the highway!
On the decline, or out on the wain
Oh everybody breaks down sooner or later
We'll put it to rights, we'll square up and mend
Back on your feet to take the next bend!
You weather every storm that's coming atcha!
I got nothin' to lose at all
I'm gonna do it my way
Take a chance before I fall
Yes, I'm heading out to the highway
I got nothing to lose at all
I got nothing to lose at all!
This is probably in my top 5 favorite songs of Judas Preist.
What a great feel this song has.
It's about taking control of your life, taking risks and not letting other people make your decisions for you. "You get nothin' for nothin', expect it when You're back seat drivin' and your hands ain't on the wheel" Mistakes are bound to happen, but you can always "put things back together". "Now, wherever you turn, wherever you go If you get it wrong, at least you can know There's miles and miles to put it back together."
This is my theme song. I first heard this when I was a kid, and I forgot about it until I quit trying to get jobs in offices and stuff and became a truck driver. Having been through all that office nonsense, this song rings so true for me!
I have a feeling he was probably writing more about motorcycles or hitchhiking, but it works for my profession as well.
Also, coincidentally for me, I love driving in the desert, and the video features them playing in a studio with a 360° mural of a desert scene all around them.
I don't really care if Rob Halford may have hidden references to gay lifestyles in his music. If he did so in this song, I'm hard-pressed to recognize it so easily as with other songs he wrote. With that said, it could be thinly argued that this song is about escaping heteronormative or marital expectations that were so strong when this song was written.
great song especially live
he actually doesnt say hit em boys by the way
Although this a standard rock song, decent lyrics, simple guitar riffs, nothing special. A song that probally took no more than 5 minutes to write, it's still a fave of mine. I remember Jamming this song with my friends on a daily basis. Just a fun song to hear and to play.
Bronze Yeah! Well this song is about racing with the crowd on an abanded highway.
I know you don't want to hear it, but Rob has said he put his double meanings about his homosexuality into some Priest songs. This is one of them I would argue. This is the one thing about Priest with Halford I just don't like.
@Fredzep I'd say the only aspect he has put into this song, is that he is letting people know he will be his own man and live his own life (including sexual orientation). Those decisions you make on your own, not according to what others think!
@Fredzep I'd say the only aspect he has put into this song, is that he is letting people know he will be his own man and live his own life (including sexual orientation). Those decisions you make on your own, not according to what others think!
Check the video of this song on YouTube
It was played constantly on MTV in the 80's the theme of a drag race between the two guitarists Downing and Tipton with Rob Halford singing as if he is the officiator in charge of the drag race.
I'd say @venusblew is the only one I truly believe is on the right track for the meaning of the song.
I interpret it in a similar meaning ... that is live your life, make your own decisions/choices and don't follow the same path as everyone.
The highway is a metaphor for life in this song. Biblical a path is typically used, however Priest have adopted a more contemporary metaphor. The song uses other transport metaphors throughout, e.g.
-
backseat driving is a metaphor for others controlling your life, telling you how to live your life.
-
road is open wide to place your bidding = lots of choices out there for you to make
-
miles and miles to put it back together = can make amends for wrong choices / mistakes in your life, as our lives are relatively long
-
everybody breaks down = depression, sad, makes mistakes, falls etc.
-
back on your feet to take the next bend = recover from that fall, make amends, learn from your mistakes.