I Am the Highway

Just wanted to say that I love this song. It has been a big help and solace during my recovery. Also - I'm amazed that this website has a nearly 8-year thread of persons commenting on this song in a very respectful manner. Almost restores my faith in humanity, and it's a great example of a constructive way the internet can be used. Thanks.

All the comments I read all seem to be wrong...or at least to compared to how I read this song.

I am not your rolling wheels I am the highway I am not your carpet ride I am the sky

A relationship where he just a girl's rolling wheels is one like you would have in high school or college for a short stint that was fun but which ultimately ended. A short term enjoyable trip (rolling wheels or magic carpet ride.)

He is saying he wants to be and is her everything-->a highway or a sky.

Then he says friends and liars and don't wait for me and he put millions of miles on his feet to get away and forget about her, but then he says he...

And still too close to you I feel

He is saying he still has feelings and wants to be with her, but not just for a fling for whatever short term or more casual relationship the girl had wanted.

then he says...

I am not your blowing wind I am the lightning I am not your autumn moon I am the night

Not your blowing wing is more reference to not being just a short term whatever to her in his mind. He is the lighting or the autumn moon (husband\father\long term relationship wanting)

This song is NOT a love song! This song is about being free. No chains.

I am not your rolling wheels, I am the sky.

He isn't saying he is "your" sky. But THE sky in general.

"I put millions of miles Under my heels And still too close to you I feel"

I feel this sums up the song very well. It's about getting out of a relationship. Not necessarily one that was toxic, but one that was constraining. Tell him to be something or someone else. This isn't a love song, but a break up song if anything. Hell it could be about all kinds of different relationships, but this is about separation in general. Detaching yourself from whatever foundation and being free.

Means..

Im not what you define me as

I'm what I define me as..

Simple

The first line (pearls and swine, bereft of me) automatically brought to mind the Biblical passage that reads "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them underfoot, and then turn and tear you to pieces." Perhaps the singer is expressing the fact that he's trying to escape from some sort of hurt, putting distance between himself and this pain for the sake of his well being? Just a thought.

This is my first post, I hope it's worthwhile.

It seems some sort of conflict is trying to be expressed, an internal conflict. These people that have claimed to, and should, love him have abused, mistreated, and finally all but completely forgot about him. This is expressed in the first verse. Those claiming to be his friends, or those puttiing up a false front, appearing true and good (pearls), in reality, have treated him no better than those whoe obviously just don't care outrite just cruel and cold towards him, and have essentially left him for dead (bereft of me). He was lost, and they made no attempt to help him on his way. He was alone, and they gave no true comfort or friendship to him.

In the chorus and first part of the second first he basically building self-confidence, telling himself and others that he's better than be's been treated, or been given credit for. He no longer needs their help, as if they had ever given it him anyway. Then he tell them to just stop pretending, and not to worry about trying to make amends, he's perfectly capable of doing himself.

In the second part of the second chorus is where he expresses his conflict or confusion. Despite all the ways he's been wronged, despite how far he's moved passed, for reasons that aren't clear to him, he still has compassion or feelings for them. This is in conflict what he said in the last part of the first verse. Here he realizes that these people do mean something to him.

Finally, the repetition of the chorus, in a sense, is kind of like a last hurrah. It's basically a final declation of his sense of pride and self-worth.

...or all of this could be complete BS. This is just my take on the song, and hopefully it might help a little.

IMO this is audioslave's 2nd best song after "doesn't remind me". about the chorus is a very fragile point i think:

"I am not your rolling wheels I am the highway I am not your carpet ride I am the sky I am not your blowing wind I am the lightning I am not your autumn moon I am the night"

wheels rolling on the highway, flying carpets float through the sky and the moon appears in the night. all of the above means that he (chris) doesn't want to be a tool for uses of others.

This song is powerful!

This soul has endured what "they" can not even fathom. He feels no loss for leaving. His value is not realized. Without the highway, would the wheels roll?
Without the sky, would the carpet ride? Without the night, would we see the autumn moon?

When friends align with the liars, he can't move far enough away.

By the grace of his higher power, he realizes his worth, and the value he added to their lives.

I think the song is about Cornell's struggle with addiction and whatever feeling drove him to addiction. I've been listening to Cornell's stuff lately since sadly he hanged himself. I was a big fan of audioslave back in the day.

I think people who are addictive and suicidal have a feeling they try to shake by medicating or trying to leave the world. Sometimes it's a sense of low self worth that causes it.

The last line in the first verse: i feel no pity or sorrow for leaving. Is he thinking of suicide?

I was watching a documentary about audioslave. The bassist said he asked Cornell what like a stone was about. Cornell said it was about death. In other words, he is waiting for death like a stone.

Somebody on here said the song is about god, i.e. i am not your blowing wind, i am the sky. I think Cornell is trying to tap his higher power, something that alcoholics call on to stop drinking.

Millions of miles under my heels and still so close to you is perhaps about going through rehab and meetings and still feeling like needing a tweak. It can be devastating.

In the song he references friends and liars. Ever hear off anyone refer to their addiction as their friend? I knew someone who referred to his cigarettes as his friends.

Pearls and swine bereft of me is from the bible. Jesus said don't give pearls to swine. In other words, don't give something of value to those who don't deserve it. Is the thing of value his sobriety?

I have just one other thing of note. The last song that Cornell sang before he went back to his hotel room and hanged himself was a led zeppelin cover, in my time of dying. Chris was deep, tragic but deep.

Eek! Correct lyrics as appeared in the CD case:

Pearls and swine bereft of me Long and weary my road has been I was lost in the cities Alone in the hills No sorrow or pity for leaving I feel

Chorus I am not your rolling wheels I am the highway I am not your carpet ride I am the sky

Friends and liars don’t wait for me I’ll get on all by myself I put millions of miles Under my heels And still too close to you I feel

Chorus I am not your rolling wheels I am the highway I am not your carpet ride I am the sky I am not your blowing wind I am the lightning I am not your autumn moon I am the night The night

I am not your rolling wheels I am the highway I am not your carpet ride I am the sky I am not your blowing wind I am the lightning I am not your autumn moon I am the night The night

I listen to this song when I'm fed up with people, because that's exactly what this dude is singing about in the verses. At the end of them, though, he throws in that he left someone behind. He's running away.

And the chorus. Somehow he's returning to talk about the person he left behind, but I read it this way: I won't get you there (I am not your rolling wheels), but I'll show you the way (I am the highway). Perhaps he left that person because they wouldn't move on in their life, and he's trying to show them.

Well....anyone else? =)