5.01 AM (The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking) Lyrics
Pulls across to greet a fellow rolling stone
Puts his bike up on it's stand
Leans back and then extends
A scarred and greasy hand...he said
How ya doin bro?...where ya been?...where ya goin'?
Then he takes your hand
In some strange Californian handshake
And breaks the bone
Have a nice day
Whose husband's on the golf course
With his book of rules
Breaks and makes a 'U' and idles back
To take a second look at you
You flex your rod
Fish takes the hook
Sweet vodka and tobacco in her breath
Another number in your little black book
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming
I'm standing on the leading edge
The Eastern seaboard spread before my eyes
"Jump" says Yoko Ono
"I'm too scared and too good looking" I cried
"Go on", she says
"Why don't you give it a try?
Why prolong the agony all men must die"
Do you remember Dick Tracy?
Do you remember Shane?
And mother wants you
Could you see him selling tickets
Where the buzzard circles over
Shane
The body on the plain
Did you understand the music Yoko
Or was it all in vain?
Shane
The bitch said something mystical "Herro"
So I stepped back on the kerb again
These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
Oh babe, I must be dreaming again
Im not entirely sure what this means. its a top song though..i think its just another one of his dreams.
Very bluesy.
Gotta love the narrative.
I'm not sure if he is taking a stab at Yoko in the last half there.
These lyrics are too deep.
Seems to me its about people's flippant sayings and actions, maybe a lack of old world integrity...everybody's out to please themselves, no matter the consequences to some other. Did John & Yoko really consider what their actions (and lyrics) would do?
I don't know entirely but this is vintage Roger Waters
Here are the ACTUAL lyrics: An angel on a Harley pulls across to greet a fellow rolling stone, puts his bike up on its stand leans back and then extends a scarred and greasy hand. He says "How ya doin' bro? Where ya been? Where ya goin'?" Then he takes your hand in some strange Californian handshake and breaks the bone: "Have a nice day" A housewife from Encino whose husband's on the golf course with his book of rules breaks and makes a 'U' and idles back to take a second look at you. You flex your rod, fish takes the hook - Sweet vodka and tobacco in her breath - another number in your little black book These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking "Oh babe, I must be dreaming" I was standing on the leading edge, the Eastern seaboard spread before my eyes. "Jump" said Yoko Ono. "I'm too scared and too good looking", I cried. "Go on," she says, "Why don't you give it a try? Why prolong the agony. All men must die" Do you remember Dick Tracy? Do you remember Shane? "And mother wants you" Could you see him selling tickets where the buzzard circles over "Shane" - The body on the plain Did you understand the music, Yoko or was it all in vain? Shame! The bitch said something mystical "Herro" So I stepped back on the curb again - wooh! These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking "Oh babe, I must be dreaming again" These are the pros and cons of hitchhiking
I've recently become obsessed with this album again, its an amazing piece of work. I think the song 5:01am, the pros and cons of hitchhiking is about how you never get what you expect from people. Each stanza describes a person and their behavior toward another person that is unexpected or surprising. It relates to the message of the entire album, which is about a man having a wet dream about picking up a hitchhiker - who he has sex with - end ends up in a dysfunctional marriage due to her mood swings.
This album would have done so much better if people would relax about Roger Waters, the man. They take him too seriously. This album has A LOT of very funny humor in it. I remember when it came out, everyone thought he was so depressed but its just an album. A work of art with a message.