There is a car parked where the block begins
And there are people singing praises
Say, "It's all because of him"
And there is a bird perched on a frayed, wet wire

And his voice sings out for a lover
But it's covered by the choir of voices
Reaching way beyond the rafters
With devotion, they perform these sacred tasks

They cross themselves and offer up their checkbooks
Slight suffering is not too much to ask
Besides, we all are making money
And we are all fucking alone

And we don't know what we are doing
Maybe just buying us some hope
Because we know that we are lonely
Yeah, lonely, that's for sure

And the older ones are coughing
And the older ones are dying
Maybe we are all dying
I pass a graveyard on my way to work

Today I saw two dozen white roses
On a fresh new mound of dirt
And I wondered about the occupant
When the darkness finally swallowed him

Was he calm and content?
Or was he sweating in a struggle to keep breathing
Ripping apart the sheets that dressed his bed
Crying out loud for someone to help him

And collapsing on his back, all pale and dead?
Maybe it's me who's this unstable
Always obsessed about the end
Why can't I let what happens happen?

And just enjoy the time I spend
Oh, how I wish it was so easy
But when there is no point to anything
It can get a bit confusing

Why is that I keep going?
Why is that we keep going?


Lyrics submitted by PLANES

On My Way to Work Lyrics as written by Oberst

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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On My Way to Work song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    jesus christ...

    sputniq28on May 14, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    they cross themselves and offer up their checkbooks slight suffering is not too much to ask besides we all are making money and we are all fucking alone and we don't know what we are doing maybe just buying us some hope because we know that we are lonely yeah, lonely that's for sure

    i think he is saying that he doesnt believe there is any thing out there and giving money just makes you feel like there must be something when deep inside you know there is not

    nurv99on March 01, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this has to be one of bright eyes's best works... and as you cal tell by my name im a huge fan. especially the last vepse about the graveyard... really makes you think. bright eyes also has a kickass voice... they way he almost cries....

    brighteyes4750on May 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its awesome. it shows how we give up our happiness for money... i love conor

    Claysavesthedayon April 02, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    maybe it's me who's this unstable always obsessed about the end why can't i let what happens happen? and just enjoy the time i spend oh how i wish it was so easy but when there is no point to anything it can get a bit confusing why is that i keep going? why is that we keep going?

    what the hell man...i always think about that. ugh freaky. people have faith because they want to believe that there is some higher meaning to life...some reason that they exist every day...but if there is nothing, why do we bother to go on?

    myfinalfailureon April 03, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is so brilliant it makes me fucking sick. it's ridiculous. this song amazes me....i always think about that shit too, glad to know i'm not alone. one of bright eyes' most amazing works.

    codiac18on May 06, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yeah, this song brings up a message that a lot of people wonder about.

    a toy planeon June 02, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is brillant.

    deadnoraliveon February 02, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I always wondered if there would be some kind of "life" after death, but never really thought of what I would actually feel when I died. It's scary. I'm not afraid to die, I'm afraid to think there could be something worse than this. But now in digital ash he says that death=freedom, I remember the same thing in a couple of songs like from a balance beam, one foot in front of the other, train under water, there must be more but that's all i can remember. Oh, on Method acting he says "I made peace with the fallen leaves, I see their same fate on my own body" so I think he has changed his view on death. Still this is a special song for me, this was the first BE song I liked.

    Hildaon June 21, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yeah, lonely that's for sure and the older ones are coughing and the older ones are dying maybe we are all dying

    what does this bit mean huh? huh?

    PJ.on July 31, 2005   Link

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