Jet Airliner
Steve Miller Lyrics
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I've been down before
Ridin' along in this big ol' jet plane
I've been thinkin' about my home
But my love light seems so far away
And I feel like it's all been done
Somebody's tryin' to make me stay
You know I've got to be movin' on
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Goodbye to all my friends at home
Goodbye to people I've trusted
I've got to go out and make my way
I might get rich you know I might bet busted
But my heart keeps calling me backwards
As I get on the 707
Ridin' high I got tears in my eyes
You know you got to go through hell
Before you get to heaven
Big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Touchin' down in New England town
Feel the heat comin' down
I've got to keep on keepin' on
You know the big wheel keeps on spinnin' around
And I'm goin' with some hesitation
You know that I can surely see
That I don't want to get caught up in any of that
Funky shit goin' down in the city
Big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah
Big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
Carry me to my home
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's there that I belong
The lyrics to Jet Airliner by Steve Miller Band are a reflection of the classic "road song" trope, where the singer is leaving home and heading out on the road, but still feeling a connection tugging them back towards their roots. The opening lines suggest that the singer has been through tough times before, which has led to him or her seeking escape in the skies, on board a "big ol' jet plane" - a metaphor for the freedom and possibility of travel that lies beyond the narrow confines of home.
Despite feeling tempted to give in to the pull of homesickness, the singer is determined not to be held back - this is a journey they need to make in order to grow and find success. The chorus sums up this conflict, with the singer acknowledging the allure of the jet airliner, but ultimately affirming their commitment to staying put and making their dreams a reality where they are now.
The final verse provides some additional context, with the singer touching down in a new town and feeling the "heat" of the unknown. They're hesitant to get too deeply involved in the "funky shit goin' down in the city", but still know that the journey is necessary - as the big wheel keeps on spinning, so too must they keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Leavin' home, out on the road
I'm leaving my home and going on a journey
I've been down before
I've faced challenges in the past
Ridin' along in this big ol' jet plane
I'm traveling in a large airplane
I've been thinkin' about my home
I'm feeling homesick and missing my home
But my love light seems so far away
I'm feeling distant from the person I love
And I feel like it's all been done
I'm feeling like I've experienced everything before
Somebody's tryin' to make me stay
Someone is attempting to convince me to remain
You know I've got to be movin' on
I must continue my journey
Oh, oh big ol' jet airliner
The airplane I'm traveling on
Don't carry me too far away
I don't want to be taken too far from my intended destination
Cause it's here that I've got to stay
I must remain where I am currently located
Goodbye to all my friends at home
I'm saying goodbye to my friends who remain at home
Goodbye to people I've trusted
I'm saying goodbye to individuals who I have relied on in the past
I've got to go out and make my way
I need to venture out and establish my own path
I might get rich you know I might bet busted
I may experience both success and failure in my journey
But my heart keeps calling me backwards
I feel a pull to return to my previous life
As I get on the 707
I board a specific type of airplane, the 707
Ridin' high I got tears in my eyes
I'm feeling emotional while flying at a high altitude
You know you got to go through hell
I understand that difficult obstacles must be overcome
Before you get to heaven
Before achieving success or happiness
Touchin' down in New England town
I've arrived in a specific town in the New England region
Feel the heat comin' down
I'm experiencing the heat of summer
I've got to keep on keepin' on
I need to continue persevering
You know the big wheel keeps on spinnin' around
Life goes on and the world keeps moving forward
And I'm goin' with some hesitation
I'm proceeding cautiously and with some doubt
You know that I can surely see
I'm aware and conscious of my situation
That I don't want to get caught up in any of that
I want to avoid getting involved in any negative or unpleasant situations
Funky shit goin' down in the city
There are strange or unpleasant activities happening in the city
Carry me to my home
Take me to my intended destination, my home
Cause it's there that I belong
I feel a sense of belonging and comfort at my home
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Tratore
Written by: PAUL PENA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yourownreligion
Leavin' home, out on the road
I've been down before
Ridin' along on this big ol' jet plane
I've been thinkin' about my home
But my love light teems so far away
And I feel like it's all been done
Somebody's tryin' to make me stay
You know I've got to be movin' on
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Goodbye to all my friends at home
Goodbye to people I've trusted
I've got to go out and make my way
I might get rich, you know, I might get busted
But my heart keeps calling me backwards
As I get on the 707
Ridin' high, I got tears in my eyes
You know you got to go through hell
Before you get to heaven
Big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Touchin' down in New England town
Feel the heat comin' down
I've got to keep on keepin' on
You know the big wheel keeps on spinnin' around
And I'm goin' with some hesitation
You know that I can surely see
That I don't want to get caught up in any of that
Funky shit goin' down in the city
Big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah
Big ol' jet airliner
Don't carry me too far away
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's here that I've got to stay
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
Carry me to my home
Oh, oh, big ol' jet airliner
'Cause it's there that I belong
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Big ol' jet airliner
@count_bodies_like_sheep9296
“You know you got to go through hell before you get to Heaven”. I don’t know why but that line gives me chills every time.
@markayala3565
Gives u chills because it the truth!!
@markayala3565
That's some good shit!
@johnrobinson1762
Or the part about the big wheel
@bryanweaver5296
I know why
@rebekkabebee9006
@@markayala3565 Right? So true. We better think about it seriously as we reach into our middle age, to twilight years.
@stephiebear24
My dad sang this as "Big old red freightliner" cuz he was a trucker, R.I.P dad.
@tylerlappa7356
Sounds like something I would do aseell as my dad 😂
@joesickdog
Your Dad was awesome. R.I.P. to your great Dad. I appreciate truckers. Keeping America Moving.
@JonesTonesGuitar
Truckers are awesome 👏