We know a place where no planes go
We know a place where no ships go

(Hey) No cars go
(Hey) No cars go
Where we know

We know a place no spaceships go
We know a place where no subs go

(Hey) No cars go
(Hey) No cars go
Where we know

(Hey)
(Hey)
(Go, go)

(Hey) Us kids know
(Hey) No cars go
Where we know

Between the click of the light and the start of the dream
Between the click of the light and the start of the dream
Between the click of the light and the start of the dream
Between the click of the light and the start of the dream

I don't want any pushing, and I don't want any shoving
We're gonna do this in an orderly manner
Women and children
Women and children
Women and children, let's go
Old folks, let's go
Babies needing cribs, let's go

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Lyrics submitted by toadtws

No Cars Go Lyrics as written by Win Butler Regine Chassagne

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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No Cars Go song meanings

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141 Comments

+6
General Comment
When I die, I think this will be the last song I hear as I leave my body, and go where No Cars Go.

When I die, I think this will be the last song I hear as I leave my body, and go where No Cars Go.

Reason:

lunchboxturtleon January 21, 2011 Link
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+4
General Comment
"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream." When your perception is taken away, when your senses are stripped away. Nothing else remains. Nothing can take you there. If something, it is like a dream. I don't really think it is about death. It is about non-existence. Children still remember what it is like not to exist. Apart from this i agree with on's description. I love the way they make "no cars go" sound like "no control". Didn't explore that, but it sounds great.

"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream." When your perception is taken away, when your senses are stripped away. Nothing else remains. Nothing can take you there. If something, it is like a dream. I don't really think it is about death. It is about non-existence. Children still remember what it is like not to exist. Apart from this i agree with on's description. I love the way they make "no cars go" sound like "no control". Didn't explore that, but it sounds great.

Reason:

fullmooninuon June 01, 2006 Link
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@fullmooninu

@fullmooninu Oh children "remember non-existence" huh?

Sobertoaston July 20, 2015
+3
General Comment
i agree with Banjo-Fella. I like to think that this song isn't about death, but its about ending your hectic, crazy day and finding a place where you're all yourself and you're there with your thoughts and the people you love in your mind. it's almost like, no matter what anxiety is being presented in your life "between the click of the light and the start of the dream" nothing can enter or disturb you. no cars, no airplanes...its just you.

i agree with Banjo-Fella. I like to think that this song isn't about death, but its about ending your hectic, crazy day and finding a place where you're all yourself and you're there with your thoughts and the people you love in your mind. it's almost like, no matter what anxiety is being presented in your life "between the click of the light and the start of the dream" nothing can enter or disturb you. no cars, no airplanes...its just you.

Reason:

camkid2on March 13, 2007 Link
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@camkid2
+2
General Comment
"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream" It's the dark, blank space that he gets to exist in before he's taken away by his dreams. I always figured the part of the end was a nightmare he had or something similar.

"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream" It's the dark, blank space that he gets to exist in before he's taken away by his dreams. I always figured the part of the end was a nightmare he had or something similar.

Reason:

PittsColt45on April 02, 2005 Link
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+2
General Comment
"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream" is where no cars go.

"Between the click of the light and the start of the dream" is where no cars go.

Reason:

yossarianliveson April 07, 2005 Link
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+2
General Comment
I think that RobertTheNaugle is right in saying that the song is somewhat about this wonderful imagination that kids have an inevitably loose someday when faced with harsh realities of life (like making decisions about who is to come first on a life boat). I think the talking underneath is also kinda questioning why we generalise who should be saved by age and sex, Radiohead mentions it in "Idioteque" but i don't know,they probably have some insanely profound reason behind it because they're fucking geniouses.

I think that RobertTheNaugle is right in saying that the song is somewhat about this wonderful imagination that kids have an inevitably loose someday when faced with harsh realities of life (like making decisions about who is to come first on a life boat). I think the talking underneath is also kinda questioning why we generalise who should be saved by age and sex, Radiohead mentions it in "Idioteque" but i don't know,they probably have some insanely profound reason behind it because they're fucking geniouses.

Reason:

no_quarter51on November 03, 2006 Link
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@no_quarter51
+2
General Comment
I read in Rolling Stone that they intended this song to be a teenager's depiction of a utopian place where, of course, "no cars go." "Between the click of the light and the start of a dream" could be the location of such a utopian place - not in reality, but in imagination. Just like what everyone else said, basically.

I read in Rolling Stone that they intended this song to be a teenager's depiction of a utopian place where, of course, "no cars go." "Between the click of the light and the start of a dream" could be the location of such a utopian place - not in reality, but in imagination. Just like what everyone else said, basically.

Reason:

blank_distortionon April 05, 2007 Link
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@blank_distortion

@blank_distortion I like this meaning\r\n

kenergyuson December 23, 2021
+1
General Comment
Everyone here mustn't have spent too much time in school. Your guesses as to the meanings of the song are very far-fetched in light of the true meaning. It's about the closing of a General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ontario, and the disastrous effects the closing had on the city (think of Flint, Michigan). The "click of the light" is the final switching off of the lights in the plant on the workers' last day; and the "start of the dream" is everyone wondering what they're going to do next. It's from the perspective of the children of the workers.

Everyone here mustn't have spent too much time in school. Your guesses as to the meanings of the song are very far-fetched in light of the true meaning. It's about the closing of a General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ontario, and the disastrous effects the closing had on the city (think of Flint, Michigan). The "click of the light" is the final switching off of the lights in the plant on the workers' last day; and the "start of the dream" is everyone wondering what they're going to do next. It's from the perspective of the children of the workers.

Reason:

mudderyon May 08, 2007 Link
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@muddery

Fascinating theory. And if written by Owen Pallet that adds more weight as he is from Toronto I believe. The theory doesn't quite explain everything but Arcade Fire are noted for writing simpler and less esoteric lyrics than they are actually given credit for. And remember that Neon Bible touches on a whole raft of 'wrongs' in society in the first half of the noughties, not just religious issues. If true, then the last quarter of the song, the military march section, must, I presume, represent the protest march gathering steam? Just bear that in mind at a live performance when that drum beat starts up.

maninmanchesteron August 30, 2011
+1
General Comment
it reminds me of titanic

it reminds me of titanic

Reason:

stereocaseon October 30, 2007 Link
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@stereocase

This song reminds me of the holocaust for some reason,
maybe ive been listening to too much neutral milk hotel but it does...

I don't want any pushing, and I don't want any shoving. We're gonna do this in an orderly manner. Women and children! Women and children! Women and children, let's go! Old folks, let's go! Babies needing cribs, let's go!
^ gathering the people,

and no cars go, nothing worked in the camps.

Maybe its just me.

LonelySmileson December 31, 2008
+1
General Comment
I've started to interpret this as that moment when you are about to go to sleep with the person you love, and it fels like just you two in the world, you feel safe and so happy, nothing can rach you, no cars or ships or planes or subs.

I've started to interpret this as that moment when you are about to go to sleep with the person you love, and it fels like just you two in the world, you feel safe and so happy, nothing can rach you, no cars or ships or planes or subs.

Reason:

Jamieeheartsplasticon February 19, 2009 Link
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@Jamieeheartsplastic