He seemed impressed by the way you came in
"Tell us a story, I know you're not boring"
I was afraid that you would not insist
"You sound so sleepy, just take this, now leave me"

I said, please don't slow me down if I'm going too fast
You're in a strange part of our town

Yeah, the night's not over, you're not trying hard enough
Our lives are changing lanes, you ran me off the road
The wait is over, I'm now taking over
You're no longer laughing, I'm not drowning fast enough

Now every time that I look at myself
"I thought I told you, this world is not for you"
The room is on fire as she's fixing her hair
"You sound so angry, just calm down, you found me"

I said please don't slow me down if I'm going too fast
You're in a strange part of our town

Yeah, the night's not over, you're not trying hard enough
Our lives are changing lanes, you ran me off the road
The wait is over, I'm now taking over
You're no longer laughing, I'm not drowning fast enough


Lyrics submitted by Stoney, edited by sword26

Reptilia Lyrics as written by Julian Casablancas

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Reptilia song meanings
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113 Comments

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  • +22
    Song Meaning
    This song isn't about date rape. I hate that people keep insisting that. I think these lyrics explain everything: "You're not trying hard enough Our lives are changing lanes You ran me off the road The wait is over I'm now taking over You're no longer laughing I'm not drowning fast enough" It's a break up song. It's about a relationship that is going nowhere and a girl who is just doesn't care about the guy. The song is called Reptilia. Reptiles are cold blooded creatures.
    nygfanon August 01, 2012   Link
  • +10
    General Comment
    definitely the equivalent to "modern age" on "is this it" but the guitar solo is even more crazy and dramatic. one thing i love about julian is his use of dialogue in songs. so much is going on--the men talk to the woman at the bar, the woman talks to the guy in the song, the guy talks back to the woman, the woman talks to the men in the bar--there's so much talking going on between everyone but it's always perfectly clear who is talking to whom. julian subtly switches voices in a lot of his songs and everytime it just works. i agree with python, the woman that julian sings about is probably the same woman from "whatever happened" (they both wanna be admired). it seems like this guy is head over heels for this girl but he realizes that she'd rather be admired by everyone than be in a meaningful relationship. the girl is bored with her present relationship ("you sound so sleepy") and upon realizing this, he goes off the deep end. (he looks in the mirror and tells himself that this world is "not for him"). gotta love the lines, "our lives are changing lanes, you ran me off the road." at this point he just wants to get out. he sees this desperate need to leave, but she remains behind, ("this room is on fire, she's fixing her hair"). i can't really figure out the meaning of the title, "reptilia." a reptilia is a cage for reptiles, so maybe it has to do with feeling trapped and needing to escape. any other ideas?
    rita meteron November 16, 2004   Link
  • +6
    General Comment
    i know that most people think of this song as someone who is leaving a messed up relationship but has anyone ever thought if it was about the guy trying to leave his past behind him? like i see it as his life has gotten to the point where he has to change how its going or he is going to lose himself. he is fed up because of both internal forces and external forces. this is why the images of driving fast and drowning come into play. he is "driving" fast to get rid of his problems and leave that life behind but at the same time he is too intertwined in it all to get out hence the lyrics "im not drowning fast enough" which points to him just giving up.. the line "the room is on fire as she's fixing her hair" creates a very powerful and opressive image that suggests that he cant take it anymore as his life is affecting him even while at the most basic levels..just to clarify i am not talking about him taking drugs and stuff just life in general being bad for him ie: he has made mistakes, friends turned on him etc.. hopefully that makes sense lol
    geo_thestrokeson January 20, 2007   Link
  • +5
    General Comment
    the guitar rip in the middle of the song is so crazy.
    ahchar514on April 14, 2004   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    These lyrics had more meaning before he cut out some of the song. REPTILIA (Old version) I was impressed by the way you came in "Tell us a story I know you're not boring" He seemed surprised by the way you came in "You sound so sleepy Just fuck off and leave me" I said please don't slow me down If I'm going too fast You're in a strange part of our town... Yeah, the night's not over You're not trying hard enough, Our lives are changing lanes, yeah You ran me off the road, The wait is over I'm now taking over, You're no longer needed I'm not coming over Somehow they says as she looks at her man "You don't understand me So stand by and let me" Now they walk out and his girlfriend arrives! "You sound so angry Just calm down, you found me" I said please don't slow me down If I'm going too fast You're in a strange part of our town... Yeah, the night's not over You're not trying hard enough, Our lives are changing lanes, yeah You ran me off the road, The wait is over I'm now taking over, You're no longer needed I'm not trying hard enough...
    Noah the Greaton March 28, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Great song....great video......great band............
    serzon April 27, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    I think it's about a guy who likes a girl but things don't work out and he decides to move on hence the "You ran me off the road The wait is over I'm now taking over Read more at" The person is also upset that he can not get a girl or the girl Now every time that I look at myself "I thought I told you this world is not for you" Seems like he is talking to himself and is pretty down on himself. I could be reading into it what I want to see though.
    viclleon May 11, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Man I love these guys. IM OBSESSED with the video for this song. All those close ups of Julian... :D:D
    kc accidentalon May 26, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    i think this is a song about a guy startin to realise he hates his gf and it would probably be right before the breakup
    pbittner12on May 28, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I think the song picks up after What Ever Happened where he just got his heart broken and in this song he realizes he's happier off and she "ran him off the road" but he's "taking over" and he knows it's time for his life to change lanes.
    ThePythonon September 17, 2004   Link

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