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Lost In America Lyrics
Snow on the railroad tracks
Dogs in the moonlight
Stoned out on Kerouac
Tryin' to get it just right
A phone in a dim lit room
Rings out forever
In a time that was still too soon
But why should he care?
He had a rambling soul
He drank a bottle of cheap wine
Turned up his collar to the cold
And waited, he waited for a sign
Fueled by amphetamines
And visions of beauty
As far as the eye could see
Was all that he strived for
A waitress in Tennessee
Said he looked like Jesus
He silenced her raging sea
Then walked out the door
He had a rambling soul
He drank a bottle of cheap wine
Turned up his collar to the cold
And waited, he waited for a sign
Under an open sky
He stands with his eyes closed
If anyone asked him why
He would not know
He's lost in America
Hell bent for no place
A rusty harmonica
That won't even play
He's lost in America...
Dogs in the moonlight
Stoned out on Kerouac
Tryin' to get it just right
Rings out forever
In a time that was still too soon
But why should he care?
He had a rambling soul
He drank a bottle of cheap wine
Turned up his collar to the cold
And waited, he waited for a sign
And visions of beauty
As far as the eye could see
Was all that he strived for
Said he looked like Jesus
He silenced her raging sea
Then walked out the door
He had a rambling soul
He drank a bottle of cheap wine
Turned up his collar to the cold
And waited, he waited for a sign
He stands with his eyes closed
If anyone asked him why
He would not know
He's lost in America
Hell bent for no place
A rusty harmonica
That won't even play
He's lost in America...
Song Info
Submitted by
thor9595 On May 14, 2004
More Gathering Field
One way or the other (Bonus track)
Bound to Be
Middle Road
Midnight Ghost
Are You an Angel?
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This is a wonderful song and it is definitely based on Kerouac's writings. Let's look closely at this song:
"Snow on the railroad tracks/Dogs in the moonlight" He is a hobo, a drifter riding the rails or walking them on a winter's night.
"Stoned out on Kerouac/ Tryin' to get it just right"
He is literate and he has read Kerouac. Maybe he is trying to follow in Kerouac's footsteps.
"A phone in a dim lit room /Rings out forever"
He has left home?
"He had a rambling soul /He drank a bottle of cheap wine" No doubt he is a wanderer. And an alcoholic or perhaps cheap wine is all he can afford.
"Turned up his collar to the cold/And waited, he waited for a sign"
It is winter, and he's searching.
"Fueled by amphetamines /And visions of beauty As far as the eye could see /Was all that he strived for"
Hmmm, a problem with drugs too? And is he aiming for the world?
"A waitress in Tennessee /Said he looked like Jesus"
He is unkempt, or perhaps she thinks he's her saviour?
"He silenced her raging sea /Then walked out the door /He had a rambling soul"
He loved her and left her because he's a drifter. But I've never seen that expressed so deeply. I have no doubt that it was passionate!
"Under an open sky /He stands with his eyes closed If anyone asked him why /He would not know He's lost in America /Hell bent for no place A rusty harmonica /That won't even play He's lost in America..."
I see him on a hilltop or maybe in an open field under a vast sky. As I've said before, he is searching for something. Perhaps he doesn't even know what.