Saving Grace Lyrics

Lyric discussion by GrungyBeatle 

Cover art for Saving Grace lyrics by Tom Petty

I’m passing sleeping cities Fading by degrees Not believing all I see to be so

(fading by degrees: civilization is passing him by, global warming, the cities are not all they seem, they will pass away)

I’m flyin’ over backyards Country homes and ranches Watching life between the branches below

(he must be on an airplane, to be flying over backyards, he has a bird's eye view of what seems to be the South- country homes and ranches..?)

And it’s hard to say Who you are these days But you run on anyway Don’t you baby?

(i sense he says we're all but a chaff in the wind, do we really know who we are, or whats going on? but we live life to our ability anyway...we seem fragile, cause we need that saving grace as well)

You keep running for another place To find that saving grace

(we look to the outside to save us, like our environment or someone else can save us- thats a bit about the concept of grace in christianity but not all)

I’m moving on alone over ground that no one owns Past statues that atone for my sins There’s a guard on every door And a drink on every floor Overflowing with a thousand amens

(he seems to be looking for grace in another place- possibly a place where its hypocritical, drinks on every floor but amens??)

And it’s hard to say Who you are these days But you run on anyway Don’t you baby?

You keep running for another place To find that saving grace Don’t you baby?

You’re rolling up the carpet Of your father’s two-room mansion No headroom for expansion no more And there’s a corner of the floor They’re telling you is yours You’re confident but not really sure

(i wonder why this family is so cramped in this house? could he be talking about a catostrophe to make them lived cramped and desperately?)

And it’s hard to say Who you are these days But you run on anyway Don’t you baby?

You keep running for another place To find that saving grace

Don’t you baby?

I still dont know whose viewpoint he's talking about, like whose really singing this song, i know I'm not near correct but i wanted to give my take on it

when I listen to song I can enjoy it too!

You�re rolling up the carpet Of your father�s two-room mansion No headroom for expansion no more And there�s a corner of the floor They�re telling you is yours You�re confident but not really sure

I kind of take this line as describing someone who has left their comfort zone (no headroom for expansion) and while having attained a new station in life and excelling, that person cant help but question when the headroom for expansion will run out again or be dictated by authority figures who "tell you what corner of the floor is yours"....