I left my baby standing in the backdoor crying
I left my baby standing in the backdoor crying
She said "you got a home as long as i got mine"
She said "you got a home as long as i got mine"

And nobody walking, nobody talking
Ever pay the price i owe her
Ah, there ain't nobody living, nobody giving
Ever pay the price i owe her

But sometimes you gotta turn your back
Ah, sometimes you gotta turn your back
Just to show that little girl
That there is something she's gonna lack
Just to show that little girl
There's something more that you desire

Nobody walking nobody talking
Ever pay the price
Nobody living, anybody giving
Ever pay the price i owe her

I don't need it to rain
I don't need it to rain
I don't need it to rain
Oh to rain

Well i know you've been turning tricks honey
Up and down the avenue
And i've been trying to tease you
Oh, just to see what you'd do
I don't need it to rain
I don't need it to rain
No more

When that storm comes raining down
When that storm comes raining down
There ain't gonna be nobody, honey
Oh to keep you warm
Ain't gonna be nobody mama here to keep you warm
No more

Ah there ain't nobody walking nobody talking
Ever pay the price not for you honey
There ain't nobody living nobody giving
Ever pay the price i owe
Not to rain not to rain not to rain
Mama not to rain

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Overall Meaning

In Tim Buckley's song "Nobody Walkin'", the singer is torn between wanting to stay with his lover and needing to break away to pursue his own desires. He describes leaving his crying partner at the backdoor, with her reassurance that he has a home with her as long as she has hers. The lyrics also suggest that he has not properly appreciated or reciprocated her love, as nobody else will ever pay the price he owes her. However, despite this, he feels the need to turn his back on her in order to show her that there is something more that he desires. The song contains a degree of bitterness towards the lover, as he accuses her of turning tricks and suggests that she will have nobody to keep her warm when the storm comes.

The song is open to interpretation, but it could be seen as a commentary on the struggle between personal freedom and the desire for a stable relationship. The singer appears to be caught between these two desires, feeling pulled in different directions. While he values the warmth and stability of his relationship, he also desires something more, and is willing to break away from it in order to pursue his dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

I left my baby standing in the backdoor crying
I abandoned my partner in tears outside the door.

She said 'you got a home as long as i got mine'
She promised to provide a home as long as she had one herself.

And nobody walking, nobody talking, Ever pay the price i owe her
No one else will ever endure what I owe my partner.

Ah, there ain't nobody living, nobody giving, Ever pay the price i owe her
No one alive will ever compensate for what I owe her.

But sometimes you gotta turn your back, Just to show that little girl, That there is something she's gonna lack
Sometimes you need to leave to demonstrate what she lacks.

Just to show that little girl, There's something more that you desire
To reveal the longing for something more.

I don't need it to rain, Oh to rain
I don't want to experience hard times.

Well i know you've been turning tricks honey, Up and down the avenue, And i've been trying to tease you, Oh, just to see what you'd do
I know you've been selling yourself, and I tested your loyalty.

No more
I won't do it again.

When that storm comes raining down, There ain't gonna be nobody mama here to keep you warm, No more
When the storm hits, I won't be there.

Ah there ain't nobody walking nobody talking, Ever pay the price not for you honey, There ain't nobody living nobody giving, Ever pay the price i owe, Not to rain not to rain not to rain Mama not to rain
No one will pay the price owed but me, and I don't want to suffer the consequences.

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