In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Driving in to Darlington County
Me and Wayne on the Fourth of July
Driving in to Darlington County
Looking for some work on the county line
We drove down from New York City
Where the girls are pretty but they just want to know your name
Driving in to Darlington City
Got a union connection with an uncle of Wayne's
We drove eight hundred miles without seeing a cop
We got rock and roll music blasting off the T-top
Singing
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la, hey eh
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Hey little girl, standing on the corner
Today's your lucky day for sure, all right
Me and my buddy, we're from New York City
We got two hundred dollars, we want to rock all night
Girl, you're looking at two big spenders
Why the world don't know what me and Wayne might do
Our pa's each own one of the World Trade Centers
For a kiss and a smile, I'll give mine all to you
Come on bab,y take a seat on my fender
It's a long night and tell me what else were you gonna do?
Just me and you, we could
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Little girl, sitting in the window
Ain't seen my buddy in seven days (play it boys)
County man tells me the same thing
He don't work and he don't get paid
Little girl, you're so young and pretty
Walk with me and you can have your way
And we'll leave this Darlington City
For a ride down that Dixie Highway
Driving out of Darlington County
Eyes seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
Driving out of Darlington County
Seen Wayne handcuffed to the bumper of a state trooper's Ford (woo)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la (ooh yeah)
Sha la la la la la la (big man)
Sha la la (where's he going?)
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la (come on)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la (woo)
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la (yeah, we gonna die, woo)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la (hey, yeah, hey, yeah)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Me and Wayne on the Fourth of July
Driving in to Darlington County
Looking for some work on the county line
We drove down from New York City
Where the girls are pretty but they just want to know your name
Driving in to Darlington City
Got a union connection with an uncle of Wayne's
We drove eight hundred miles without seeing a cop
We got rock and roll music blasting off the T-top
Singing
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la, hey eh
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Hey little girl, standing on the corner
Today's your lucky day for sure, all right
Me and my buddy, we're from New York City
We got two hundred dollars, we want to rock all night
Girl, you're looking at two big spenders
Why the world don't know what me and Wayne might do
Our pa's each own one of the World Trade Centers
For a kiss and a smile, I'll give mine all to you
Come on bab,y take a seat on my fender
It's a long night and tell me what else were you gonna do?
Just me and you, we could
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Little girl, sitting in the window
Ain't seen my buddy in seven days (play it boys)
County man tells me the same thing
He don't work and he don't get paid
Little girl, you're so young and pretty
Walk with me and you can have your way
And we'll leave this Darlington City
For a ride down that Dixie Highway
Driving out of Darlington County
Eyes seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
Driving out of Darlington County
Seen Wayne handcuffed to the bumper of a state trooper's Ford (woo)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la (ooh yeah)
Sha la la la la la la (big man)
Sha la la (where's he going?)
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la (come on)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la (woo)
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la (yeah, we gonna die, woo)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la (hey, yeah, hey, yeah)
Sha la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Darlington County Lyrics as written by Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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What could go wrong? Wayne is the lead but things didn't go as planned or he dumps Bruce to do his deal and make the real money and hangs out with his connection a lot longer than expected. Perhaps it doesn't go quite right and disappears.
Naive Bruce asks around where his buddy is. Asking the girl at the Police station (in the window) and the County Man but they don't know. Don't get the County man 'he don't work and he don't get paid' thing. Perhaps he doesn't care because they aren't residents or taxpayers of Darlington County.
Bruce decides to head home with a young pretty thing and drives by Wayne being arrested. It all clicks and Bruce decides to get the hell out of there and head south just in case Wayne decides to narc on Bruce as an accomplice.
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