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Pull Up the Roots Lyrics
Hello, again
yes indeed my friend
I can tell
Goin' together again
I could be right,
I could be wrong,
I feel nice when I sing this song
and I don't mine
Whatever happens is fine.
Baby likes to keep on playing,
what do I know, what do I know
Wilder than the place we live in
I'll take you there, I'll take you there
I don't mind some slight disorger
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
I know ev'ry living creature
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots.
And I know you
I understand what you do
Yes indeed
I put the hat on my head
come outa your mess
bring yourself in
I feel nice when I start to sing
And I can see
That ev'ryone else is like me.
Towns that disappeared completely
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Miles and miles of endless highway
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Colored lights and shiny curtains
I'll take you there, I'll take you there
Ev'rything has been forginven
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Well I have a good time
when I go out of my mind
And it's a wonderful place
and I can't wait to be there
I hear beautiful sounds
comin' outa the ground
Gonna take us a while
but we'll go hundreds of times
Baby likes to keep on playing
what do you know, what do you know
wilder than the place we live in
I'll take you there, I'll take you there
And I don't mind some slight disorder
pull up the roots, pull up the roots
And no more time for talkin' it over
pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Well I have a good time
when I go out of my mind
And it's a wonderful place
and I can't wait to be there
I hear beautiful sounds
comin' outa the ground
someone musta been high
but I guess it's all right
yes indeed my friend
I can tell
Goin' together again
I could be right,
I could be wrong,
I feel nice when I sing this song
and I don't mine
Whatever happens is fine.
what do I know, what do I know
Wilder than the place we live in
I'll take you there, I'll take you there
I don't mind some slight disorger
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
I know ev'ry living creature
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots.
I understand what you do
Yes indeed
I put the hat on my head
come outa your mess
bring yourself in
I feel nice when I start to sing
And I can see
That ev'ryone else is like me.
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Miles and miles of endless highway
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Colored lights and shiny curtains
I'll take you there, I'll take you there
Ev'rything has been forginven
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
when I go out of my mind
And it's a wonderful place
and I can't wait to be there
I hear beautiful sounds
comin' outa the ground
Gonna take us a while
but we'll go hundreds of times
what do you know, what do you know
wilder than the place we live in
I'll take you there, I'll take you there
And I don't mind some slight disorder
pull up the roots, pull up the roots
And no more time for talkin' it over
pull up the roots, pull up the roots
when I go out of my mind
And it's a wonderful place
and I can't wait to be there
I hear beautiful sounds
comin' outa the ground
someone musta been high
but I guess it's all right
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I think the lyrics of this song are about the conflicting feelings brought about by profound spiritual revelation and at the same time a sense of how limited we are in our understanding. The recognition that we are but a small part of something much larger, that we can never understand, but that our minds are an integral part of that. The lyrics constantly shift between this naive understanding, and godlike statements of grandeur. The line "Baby likes to keep on playing, what do I know, what do I know" likens us to a child, who cannot fully grasp what is going on around it. And yet statements like "And I know every living creature," and "Everything has been forgiven," suggests that we can attain higher states of enlightenment. Except when when we get there, Byrne implores us to "Pull up the roots" and essentially recognize that everything we have built up is still but a limited construct of our mind. Now this could be a pretty depressing realization but in fact I think it's the exact opposite. "I don't mind some slight disorder," I feel refers to this essential inability to fully grasp the whole of nature, but that this is ok, "whatever happens is fine." Letting go of this need to be right or wrong, or fully comprehend the universe, and just singing is where Byrne finds his peace.
I've certainly felt this way on acid and ecstasy trips. If we free our minds in some way, it is easy to feel the things he is singing about. Just drift a bit and take things as they come with no judgement or heavy introspection.