Thunder Road
Tortoise & Bonnie \"Prince\" Billy Lyrics

The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves
Mary opens the screen door and exits on to the porch, causing her dress to billow in the wind.

Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays
Mary dances gracefully on the porch, illuminated by the radio playing in the background.

Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
The song being played on the radio is a song by Roy Orbison, meant for those who feel lonely.

Hey, that's me and I want you only
The artist relates to the song played on the radio because he too is lonely, and wants Mary to be his companion.

Don't turn me home again, I just can't face myself alone again
The artist begs Mary not to send him home, as he cannot bear the thought of being alone again.

Don't run back inside, darling, you know just what I'm here for
The singer asks Mary not to retreat inside, as she knows the reason he is there in the first place.

So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore
The singer acknowledges that Mary might have fears about their relationship, especially given their age.

Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
The artist asks Mary to have faith that their relationship will work out, as there is something magical about the night.

You ain't a beauty but, hey, you're alright
The artist admits that Mary might not be conventionally beautiful, but that he still finds her attractive.

Oh, and that's alright with me
The artist assures Mary that her not being traditionally beautiful does not matter to him.

You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain
The singer tells Mary that she can hide under the covers of her bed and brood over her pain, if she wants to.

Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain
The artist suggests that Mary might make crosses out of the men who have hurt her, and throw roses in the rain in honor of her lost loves.

Waste your summer praying in vain
The singer hints that Mary might have spent her summer praying for something that won't happen.

For a savior to rise from these streets
The singer surmises that Mary might be praying for a savior to emerge from the streets they live on.

Well now, I ain't no hero, that's understood
The singer lets Mary know that he is not a hero and can't save her from whatever she is facing.

All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
The best the artist can do to make up for his perceived lack of heroic deeds is to offer Mary a ride in his car, which has a dirty hood.

With a chance to make it good somehow
Despite not being a hero, the artist assures Mary that there is still a chance that things will turn out right.

Hey, what else can we do now?
The singer suggests to Mary that there is little else to do but take the ride and hope for the best.

Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair
The singer urges Mary to open the car window and let the wind blow through her hair, creating a feeling of freedom and abandon.

Well, the night's busting open, these two lanes will take us anywhere
The artist feels that the night is full of possibilities and that driving along these two particular lanes could take them anywhere.

We got one last chance to make it real
The artist senses that this is the final chance they have to make their relationship work.

To trade in these wings on some wheels
The artist says that they have to leave unrealistic aspirations behind and opt for something more practical, like a car.

Climb in back, heaven's waiting on down the tracks
The singer invites Mary to climb into the back of the car, promising that they'll reach their destination eventually.

Oh oh, come take my hand
The artist asks Mary to take his hand, and embark on this adventure together.

We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
The singer tells Mary that they're venturing out at night to explore new horizons and look for some kind of a promised land.

Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road
The singer repeats the title of the song, 'Thunder Road', which has perhaps become their personal anthem for their night's journey.

Oh, Thunder Road, oh, Thunder Road
The singer repeats the title of the song, 'Thunder Road', emphasizing its iconic significance for the singer and Mary's ride.

Lying out there like a killer in the sun
The artist describes the wasted Chevrolets they pass as looking like killers lying abandoned in the sun.

Hey, I know it's late, we can make it if we run
The artist acknowledges that it's late, but is hopeful that if they move fast, they can still make the most of their adventure.

Oh oh oh oh, Thunder Road
The singer repeats the title of the song, 'Thunder Road', highlighting its personal importance to the couple's journey.

Sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road
The singer urges Mary to brace herself for the ride of her life, calling it 'Thunder Road'.

Well, I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk
The artist explains that he has a guitar and has learned how to play it in a way that seems like it 'talks'.

And my car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk
The artist lets Mary know that his car is outside if she's ready to embark on a longer journey together. The 'long walk' is a metaphor for this journey.

From your front porch to my front seat
The artist describes the distance between Mary's house and his car as the distance between her front porch and his front seat.

The door's open but the ride ain't free
The singer wants Mary to understand that while the car's doors are open, the ride they're about to take comes with a price that Mary will have to pay one way or the other.

And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken
The artist senses that Mary has been waiting for him to say certain words he hasn't said yet, and is lonely because of it.

But tonight we'll be free, all the promises'll be broken
The singer promises Mary that tonight they'll break all their previous promises and free themselves from their pasts.

There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away
The singer suggests to Mary that she has haunted the boys she's rejected in the past, as they all still want her.

They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets
The singer describes the abandoned Chevrolets along the way as 'haunted' by these same ghosts of Mary's exes.

They scream your name at night in the street
The artist says that these ghosts scream Mary's name in the night, further emphasizing how much they still desire her.

Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
The artist hints that Mary's graduation gown from high school, representing her past, is now in tatters and meaningless to these ghosts.

And in the lonely cool before dawn
The singer sets the scene and describes the time of night as being cool and lonely, right before dawn breaks.

You hear their engines rolling on
The singer says that in this lonely pre-dawn time, Mary can still hear these ghosts' cars driving around.

But when you get to the porch, they're gone on the wind
The artist tells Mary that by the time she gets to her porch, these ghosts have vanished on the wind, leaving her alone once again.

So Mary, climb in
The artist urges Mary to take his hand and climb into his car.

It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling out of here to win
The artist describes their hometown as a place full of losers, and proclaims that they're leaving town to win.