White Trash Heroes

I agree spifly has the closest lyrics yet, wish it felt a little more certain regarding the chorus(es) though, because even the corrected version still seems a bit vague to me... tough to pick out at times. But we've basically got the lyrics thing covered for the most part now so I'd like to switch to some interpretations of the song, yours too but I'll go ahead and kick things off. I'm currently leaning toward it being about Southern life in general, more specifically Southeastern US weekends and/or night life.

But before we get further into that, a little bit of back story. I remember reading an interview with Eric several years back where he was talking about some of his family being real simple, down to earth, maybe even a little 'backwoods' type of people, so he wanted to make sure no one took offence, or took the White Trash Heroes title as a slight or anything, because it wasn't meant in a mean spirited way. They were from North Carolina, and some of that shows here... specifically the NC State Fair line, but more in general elsewhere as well. IIRC he even said those relatives were big NC State (Wolfpack) sports fans, but in this instance and the aforementioned line I'm pretty sure he's referring to exactly what it says, the NC State Fair and fairgrounds in Raleigh NC. Which is now where my interpretation, just as the song does a bit, might start going all over the place. Apologies.

Ordinarily when I hear the term "motor mile" I tend to think of a main strip of road in Southern towns where there are several different car lots or dealerships kind of all lined up in a row, but in this instance it seems to me that he's more referring to NASCAR and/or dragster type race tracks. There's also a 'Speedway' track right over the NC state line up in Martinsville Virginia known as 'The Motor Mile,' so between all the speeding past, colliding & crashing talk, and the fact that most of the big NASCAR races are held on Sunday afternoons/evenings, I gotta think that really is a big part of the lyrics believe it or not. And of course the races are LOUD from the roar of the engines... it could simply be that the race car drivers are the white trash heroes in question, being adored by all of their sunday crowd of fans, who are in paradise watching all of the drama unfold, in person or via television.

Also, back to the fair thing, just google image search 'NC State Fair.' You'll see two trends: Bright neon lights from all of the carnival rides at night, and (LOL) pictures of literal livestock, judged cattle competitions (or something involving cows, who also produce a lot of methane 'gas'). Combine both of these last two paragraphs with the fact that the Martinsville VA NASCAR race is generally held in late October, which is also when the NC State Fair is annually held, and we're getting somewhere. Seems to me Mr Bachmann & Co might have had themselves one big ol redneck weekend extravaganza one year! Heh, complete with Carnival rides and NASCAR racing. Either that, or were just in the same towns and watched all the people milling about, going to watch their white trash heroes on full display in both arenas, and hitting the town for more fun and games beforehand, or drinking and barhopping and such afterward. I don't know, just a bunch of random thoughts, I do get the vibe that he's watching everything unfold more from an outside looking in type perspective on second thought.

A couple more random thoughts from lines: "Encoded conversations" could be referring to the headsets that NASCAR drivers and their pitcrews use to talk to each other during races on different frequencies, and the fans can buy their own versions to listen in... or maybe he's listening to the fans discuss it amongst themselves, or talking about other things in general, using words and phrases he doesn't understand, almost as if they're speaking in code. (I know there's been a lot of NASCAR talk here and some of ya will think there's no way the song could possibly be about that, but trust me... while I'm no fan of it personally, it really is a big deal to some and part of Southern culture, along with college football, grits and sweet iced tea!)

"standing at the gates of NC State fair, I saw you smoking with all those new friends you've got to spare." To me that line always reeks of jilted lover, as if he's solemnly watching an ex-girlfriend have a good time hanging out with other people, and feeling left behind.

Alright, enough from me, wrap the novel up already! What are your thoughts, feelings, interpretations or just general observations about the song??

Frozen out of focus, the sunday crowd Started dreaming of television turned up too loud. And coded conversations, half baked and tired, Left us sleepy on blacktops burning the motor mile.

And underneath the arcade, details collide There's good shopping, but all those patrons have too much style. And moving in slow motion the boulevard started seething With hip half-ravers in techno bars.

It ends life along the neon sign (It is like a long, imperfect time) all speeding past, collide and crashing, I'm in paradise (on the motor mile).

Sealed in concentration (Soaked in complication), the lantern lights Started shrinking (seething) on dead men drinking white liquor wine. And iced with complication (condensation), the methane gas Started leaking on bastards burning half red and black.

We can ride along in perfect time Or speeding past, collide and crashing, I'm in paradise.

And standing at the gates of NC State fair, I saw you smoking with all those new friends you've got to spare. And melting back in focus the sunday crowd Started sleeping with (dreaming of) white trash heroes, TV's turned down.

In their eyes, along the neon sky (It ends like a long, imperfect time) All speeding past, collide and crashing, I'm in paradise (on the motor mile). We can ride along in perfect time Or dreaming of the white trash heroes on the motor mile (I'm in paradise).

It ends life along the neon sky (It ends life along in perfect time) All speeding past, collide and crashing on the motor mile. We can't lie along in perfect time All dreaming of the white trash heroes, I'm in paradise.

attempt? attempt implies failure. this song is awesome

these lyrics are rediculously wrong. it's not your fault because they're wrong everywhere. uh.. the chorus should be "speeding paths collide and crashing"... not the thrashing thing. every website with these lyrics is a little off... I wonder where we can find the actual lyrics??

All speeding past the line and Crashing, is what i hear.

I'm sure it's an attempt at talking about ignorance and commercialization amongst the majority of our nation....it always seems to be a popular song topic

All speeding past the line and thrashing, I'm in paradise. We can't lie below ___ time All dreaming of the white trash heroes on the boulevard. It is like below the neon sky (?)

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All speeding past the line and CRASHING, I'm in paradise. We can't lie below imperfect time (?) All dreaming of the white trash heroes on the MOTORMILE. It is like below the neon sky.

I'm pretty sure its "Speeding past, collide and crashing, I'm in paradise" and not "Speeding past the line and crashing..."

spifly (post #6) has the right lyrics

This song is incredible. I like the southern life/Nascar interpretation and on the surface I think that is what the song is about but I get a deeper vibe from this song like maybe it has a double or hidden meaning.. I get that feeling from "Frozen out of focus, the sunday crowd Started dreaming of television turned up too loud" and "Started sleeping with white trash heroes, TV's turned down." I think the symbolism of the volume of the TV and also the neon sky has a deeper meaning for some reason but it could also be nothing. The only way to know the true meaning of any song is to ask the artist.