Have to Drive Lyrics

Lyric discussion by unrequited00Love 

Cover art for Have to Drive lyrics by Amanda Palmer

Honestly I think "drive" is a metaphor for living.

I have to drive I have my reasons, deer (i have to live, i have my reasons for living, yet wanting to die.) It's cold outside I hate the seasons here (complaining about life.)

I suffer mornings most of all I feel so powerless and small (maybe being groggy as someone else stated) By ten o'clock I'm back in bed Fighting the jury in my head (you're so depressed you just want to sleep & your mind is just like a machine that never stops thinking. You are fighting those thoughts in your head)

We learn to drive It's only natural, deer (learn to drive--live-- it is only natural.) We drive all night (we do, even when we sleep) We haven't slept in years (we haven't in a away. We are always working either in mind or physically)

We suffer mornings most of all (stated above) We saw you lying in the road (I think this is implying that you saw someone depressed as you or worse or in your position) We tried to dig a decent grave (you somehow think they won't make it in life(depressing, i know..) so you want to kinda help them "live it up" before they kill themselves or someone else, since you will never know when they will snap. But it's still no way to behave (It isn't.)

It is a delicate position Spin the bottle Pick the victim Catch a tiger Switch directions If he hollers Break his ankles To protect him (I can't interpret this to match my interpretation. help anyone?)

We'll have to drive They're getting closer (maybe the thoughts of this suicidal/homicidal person are getting to him) Just get inside (come with us.) It's almost over (maybe a manic episode.)

We will save your brothers We will save your cousins We will drive them far away From streets and lights From all signs of bad mankind (maybe the person was only living because of their family. maybe they feel that they lost it all in their life and want to die but just can't muster up the ability to do it since they love their family but they are reassuring them we will keep them safe.)

We suffer mornings most of all Wake up all bleary eyed and sore Forgetting everything we saw (just forgetting everything they saw/ did.) (I'll meet you in an hour at the car)

My Interpretation

I definitely agree with the alcoholism/depression take on this song. Often when depressed, the mornings of having everything flood back are the worst, and the only way to survive is to keep on running down the road, whether by foot or by car until you can feel you can outrun all the bad parts of life. It almost feels like a compulsion, to just drive away and forget it all, yet want to save the world around you from it too.

to interpret the verse of the delicate position, I believe it's the "tight rope" walk you seem to...

@unrequited00Love YES !!! it's about contemplating suicide, (while dealing with alcoholism, depression ....)