This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
I'm alone, sitting with my empty glass
My four walls follow me through my past
I was on a Paris train, I emerged in London rain
And you were waiting there, swimming through apologies
I remember searching for the perfect words
I was hoping you might change your mind
I remember a soldier sleeping next to me
Riding on the Metro
You wore white, smiling as you took my hand
So removed, we spoke of wintertime in France
Minutes passed with shallow words
Years have passed and still the hurt
Oh, I can see you now, smiling as I pulled away
I remember the letter wrinkled in my hand
"I'll love you always" filled my eyes
I remember a night we walked along the Seine
Riding on the Metro
I remember a feeling coming over me
The soldier turned, then looked away
I remember hating you for loving me
Riding on the Metro
I'm alone, sitting with my broken glass
My four walls follow me through my past
I was on a Paris train, I emerged in London rain
And you were waiting there, swimming through apologies, sorry
I remember searching for the perfect words
I was hoping you might change your mind
I remember a soldier sleeping next to me
Riding on the Metro
My four walls follow me through my past
I was on a Paris train, I emerged in London rain
And you were waiting there, swimming through apologies
I remember searching for the perfect words
I was hoping you might change your mind
I remember a soldier sleeping next to me
Riding on the Metro
You wore white, smiling as you took my hand
So removed, we spoke of wintertime in France
Minutes passed with shallow words
Years have passed and still the hurt
Oh, I can see you now, smiling as I pulled away
I remember the letter wrinkled in my hand
"I'll love you always" filled my eyes
I remember a night we walked along the Seine
Riding on the Metro
I remember a feeling coming over me
The soldier turned, then looked away
I remember hating you for loving me
Riding on the Metro
I'm alone, sitting with my broken glass
My four walls follow me through my past
I was on a Paris train, I emerged in London rain
And you were waiting there, swimming through apologies, sorry
I remember searching for the perfect words
I was hoping you might change your mind
I remember a soldier sleeping next to me
Riding on the Metro
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I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.
OK, Kids. The site is Song Meanings, and I'm a little disappointed in all the banter about covers and how the song rocks. Bottom line is that I've come to expect more from this group, and I don't see much insight on the song in the discussion so far. So, let's try this.
Has anyone wondered why it's "The Metro"? I think it's an analogy for the relationship. The ride's exciting, but in the end, the train follows the track. It has a fixed destination, and it will arrive there, no matter what...much as the writer sees how this relationship played out. And why The Metro specifically, and not some other train? Well, The Metro runs underground, and I believe our hero is trying to use that as a metaphor, as he is trying to "bury" his feelings.
I did see someone ask about the soldier, which might have been just a random memory of the train ride, except he re-appears later in the lyrics, which makes him significant. My take on that is that the soldier, who battles for life and death, is not moved or affected by the heartbreak the writer (Crawford) feels. The soldier sleeps through it, and he looks away from it. He has more important things to do than wallow in pity. The soldier may be one of two things - he may be an attempt to remind the author that no matter how bad the break-up feels, it's really just not that significant in the scheme of things - or more likely the soldier is an "alter-ego" of the writer. It's himself looking at the whole situation and starting to move on ("the soldier turned and looked away").
Lastly, let me say I enjoy the choice of musical accompaniment for the song. It's a synth loop that always ends up right back where it started. Kind of another metaphor for the lyrics - much as the train only takes him to a destination he's not happy with, the music, while upbeat and exciting as well, doesn't ever lead anywhere.
Perhaps it's all of this that makes the song so great, and is why so many acts have covered it.
Hmm, the original is much better than the covers though
I think it is about the soldier was killed in the war and she got his last letter, that said, I love you always. I used to think it was about a girl that was dumped by her boyfriend, but I change my mind as I got older. She was mad that he made love to her and then went to war and got killed, not that she was dumped. (hating you for loving me)
I almost in tune with this, the first verse seems to be in the present...except what does "Swimming through apologies" mean? If this is correct, at his funeral he was there in body, being carried by the Pall Bearers while every said how sorry they were?<br /> <br /> I feel then there must be something deep about...The soldier turned, then looked away, but just can't figure it out
The soldier turned and looked away is when she is asking him not to go war. She is asking him on the train, not to go to turn back and desert maybe and he can't do that.
I would say she got dumped by her boyfriend and then he sent her packing on a train...
awesome covers of this song. haven't heard a bad one yet. so far I've heard covers of this song by the following:
alkaline trio system of a down cruxshadows
rock on.
The system of a down version is an amazing version if u havent heard it then go listen 2 it
the bouns track of no use for a name's "leche con carne" is a medley of several covers. They play a part of this song, too.
I'd have to agree, the System of a Down cover is very nice.
alk3's cover = whoa better then systems cover. but the original owns them all.
thats just me.
Berlin bass player John Crawford wrote this. It's about a man riding to Paris to visit his girlfriend. The Metro is the underground transportation system in Paris. The line "thank you for loving me" is often misheard as "f--k you for loving me."