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.
Bad reputation seems to be my style
I've been categorized as a little wild
The police took my photograph
A hunted boy runnin' from his past
Some even called me the devil's child
At seventeen I was on my own
Had the clothes on my back from a broken home
Slapped in the face till my daddy got straight
I knew it was time to run
Now I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm holdin' my own, I'm leadin' the pack
I'm back from a shattered home and a living hell
I'm back, back on the track
First indication of trouble's up ahead
I saw the flashing blues, I saw the color red
A big commotion at the friendly store
Found a poor man robbed and a kid at the door
Guilty as charged or so the judge said
I was sent to school to try to learn a trade
But when the schoolboys laughed I became enraged
I prayed to God that's the last mistake I'd made
Now I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm holdin' my own, I'm leadin' the pack
I'm back from a shattered home and a living hell
I'm back, back on the track
Bad reputation, freedom's my desire
I tried to clear my name, I came under fire
A bad situation was a way of life
With a cutthroat lawyer given bad advice
The only hope I had was a prove liar
It was win or lose out to clean the slate
It was some big news when I made the break
And I ran for years to avoid the state
Another chance I was forced to take
Now I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm holdin' my own, I'm leadin' the pack
I'm back from a shattered home and a living hell
I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm back on the track again
I've been categorized as a little wild
The police took my photograph
A hunted boy runnin' from his past
Some even called me the devil's child
At seventeen I was on my own
Had the clothes on my back from a broken home
Slapped in the face till my daddy got straight
I knew it was time to run
Now I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm holdin' my own, I'm leadin' the pack
I'm back from a shattered home and a living hell
I'm back, back on the track
First indication of trouble's up ahead
I saw the flashing blues, I saw the color red
A big commotion at the friendly store
Found a poor man robbed and a kid at the door
Guilty as charged or so the judge said
I was sent to school to try to learn a trade
But when the schoolboys laughed I became enraged
I prayed to God that's the last mistake I'd made
Now I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm holdin' my own, I'm leadin' the pack
I'm back from a shattered home and a living hell
I'm back, back on the track
Bad reputation, freedom's my desire
I tried to clear my name, I came under fire
A bad situation was a way of life
With a cutthroat lawyer given bad advice
The only hope I had was a prove liar
It was win or lose out to clean the slate
It was some big news when I made the break
And I ran for years to avoid the state
Another chance I was forced to take
Now I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm holdin' my own, I'm leadin' the pack
I'm back from a shattered home and a living hell
I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, back on the track again
I'm back, I'm back on the track again
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Back on the Track Lyrics as written by Jeffrey S. Carlisi Donald N. Van Zant
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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