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Going Through the Motions Lyrics
Something isn't right
I don't know how I know
But baby, it's despite
Your dog-and-pony show
I can hear it coming
You're only going through the motions, baby
With your engines humming
You're just going through the motions, baby
Feel like I'm in jail
With you and Mr. Hyde
A guy who leaves a trail
About a mile wide
So it starts already
That you're just going through the motions, baby
You can throw confetti
But you're still going through the motions, baby
Going through the motions, baby
We'll have a big parade
For every day that you stay clean
But when the trumpets fade
You'll go under like a submarine
And you won't see it coming
No, you won't see it coming
You could have it made
Up there in San Rafael
But baby, I'm afraid
I'll never see you well
Because I've seen the tally
And you're just going through the motions, baby
To a big finale
That comes from going through the motions, baby
Going through the motions, baby
Going through the motions, baby
You're just going through the motions, baby
I don't know how I know
But baby, it's despite
Your dog-and-pony show
You're only going through the motions, baby
With your engines humming
You're just going through the motions, baby
With you and Mr. Hyde
A guy who leaves a trail
About a mile wide
That you're just going through the motions, baby
You can throw confetti
But you're still going through the motions, baby
Going through the motions, baby
For every day that you stay clean
But when the trumpets fade
You'll go under like a submarine
And you won't see it coming
No, you won't see it coming
Up there in San Rafael
But baby, I'm afraid
I'll never see you well
And you're just going through the motions, baby
To a big finale
That comes from going through the motions, baby
Going through the motions, baby
Going through the motions, baby
You're just going through the motions, baby
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About someone who says they'll change, they're doing better, they won't hurt you again... but just like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it's merely the good side talking, and she knows that there's a timer ticking away the minutes until the bomb goes off again.
This is Caroline talking about John's addiction. He repents and goes sober for a while, but the underlying addiction keeps its grip on him and so he's just "going through the motions" of rehab, while as soon as he's out of the program he'll "go under like a submarine". And he lacks self-awareness so much that he "won't see it coming". She, on the other hand, can see some bad end coming -- "the big finale" -- that is the direct result of him just miming sobriety.
The song begins with an arresting exclamation, "Something isn't right!" and carries on with a lot of strength and force. Often in other songs we find the voice of Caroline speaking almost as if stunned, in short declarative sentences, but here she is perceptive and cynical, not buying John's "dog and pony show", his salesman's patter. She is trying to offer him a shiny alternate future, "up there in San Rafael", but unless he really confronts his addiction she'll "never see him well". Then she warns him of the negative future she can see if he doesn't change his ways. This is one of Caroline's strongest songs as a character.