When I Go Out, I Want To Go Out On A Chariot Of Fire

Okay. Everyone is pretty much agreeing to the same thing. But I only noticed one person talking about what I really don't understand. The part about his hands. But she only talked about "gasoline being on his hands from when the car blew up." Ronnie also says he doesn't need to "where these gloves" so, does that tie in with the gasoline, or does that mean he doesn't want to feel the guilt?

But also, most of you are interpreting it like he's the one who killed her. Not necessarily correct. At the beginning of the song, he clearly states he was only a witness.

I also perceive that "the taste on his tongue" is not from the alcohol. It's from the feeling of guilt of having witnessing this girl who has ironically died in this car accident. Being said, if this song has literal meaning, the story could be: (pay attention to the pronouns)

He had a plan to kill you all along, The evidence was hidden in this song, I was a ghost, I was there at the scene, As the embers rise, my hands, Smelled like gasoline,

[I agree with whoever said the driver knew that the drinking and driving was a bad move, but he, of course, wasn't worried about it. He didn't figure anything bad was to happen. He was just being careless. In parts of the song, he says "he" and in other parts he says "I". This is very important when interpreting songs. "He" had a plan to kill you all along." Meaning the narrator was watching all of this going on. Also, he says "I was a ghost, I was there at the scene" indicating he was watching and no one knew he was there.]

So, the headlights murdered my thoughts, I curse this taste that's on my tongue, This taste will last until I rip it out, No, I won't need these gloves, Her bones are withered away, but your ghost will remain.

[Some of you have said "The headlights murdered my thoughts" means he was the drunk driver and his sense of sight is sensitive to light. I think it means his senses have been simply impaired from everything that's going on, from the tragedy of this innocent girl's death. This verse, to me has a little story behind it: he is a ghost, or could mean simple bystander, who has been watching and admiring the innocent girl. And when she died he couldn't help but feel guilty because he was there and felt he could have helped her or stopped her from dying. The presence of her "ghost" is just the guilt from being there and not able to help her.]

You're the only one that wore your seatbelt, We're the only ones that cried, Catastrophic accidents, You're the only one that died.

So keep my casket closed, Your heart beats under the floor, It haunts me in my dreams, and nothing's as it seems.

[You guys mentioned how you didn't understand why he says "keep MY casket closed". I think it ties back to how he's a ghost. He's so guilty of not being able to help her, that he doesn't want anyone seeing the shame he feels at his funeral.]

Hallelujah, woah, So just believe in me, I'll Never let you down, This was a curse I can say, As you lie in your grave

[Not really sure what this means. But what I see when I think about it is him wishing he could promise her that he would die for her. Or "lie in HER grave"]

You're the only one that wore your seatbelt, We're the only ones that cried, Catastrophic accidents, You're the only one that died.

So keep my casket closed, Your heart beats under the floor, It haunts me in my dreams, and nothing's as it seems.

(But your ghost will remain, as you lie in your grave) (But your ghost will remain, as you lie in your grave)

All the choices you've made And the paths that I take You're the only one that died (The evidence was hidden in this song)

[This makes me think that it could possibly be him who was driving and him feeling guilty asking himself or God or whoever "why did SHE have to die? She was so careful and didn't deserve to die. I, on the other hand, have made so many terrible choices in my life and if anyone were to die, it should have been me."]

All the choices you've made And the paths that I take (We're the only ones that cried) Irrelevant, I knew it all along

All the choices you've made And the paths that I take (It was never enough) (It was never enough) (It was never enough) (Now was it?)

So keep my casket closed, Your heart beats under the floor, It haunts me in my dreams, but nothing's as it seems,

So keep my casket closed, Your heart beats under the floor, It haunts me in my dreams, but nothing's as it seems,

So keep my casket closed, Your heart beats under the floor, It haunts me in my dreams, but nothing's as it seems

The title of this song. "When I Go Out. I Want To Go Out In A Chariot Of Fire" ties into the song by mentioning a "chariot", otherwise viewed as a vehicle, on fire.

*This interpretation is just me trying to find hidden meanings. So some of it probably sounds stupid and probably isn't right, but I felt like putting forth the thought and effort.