Chartered Trips
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard the porter call
He said "the sky's the limit on this chartered trip away"
I guess I'd better stay
Out there on the desert, I see trees on every wall
Nothing's ever solved
He said "the sky's the limit on this chartered trip away"
I guess I'd better stay away
I thought I owed myself a trip away
I wanted to go to places, I have never been away
I looked at the pictures, imagine where they lay, away
On a beach by the sand, where their clothes all lay away
Clothes, yeah, yeah, free from all the noise, nylon carry-all
Hear the porter call
Horizon is oblivious, chartered trip away
Guess I better stay
Out there on the desert, I see trees on every wall
Nothing's ever solved
Horizon is oblivious, chartered trip away
Guess I better stay away
Aah, aah, to go to places, I have
Places, I have never been away
I looked at the pictures, imagine where they lay, away
On a beach, sand, on a beach, aah, aah, away, away
I picked up my belongings in a nylon carry-all
Heard the porter call
Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
I guess I'd better stay
Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
Said "there's no returning, from this chartered trip away"
Said "no returning"
Said there's no returning
From this chartered trip away
Said there's no returning
From this chartered trip away
Said there's no returning
From this chartered trip away
The lyrics of "Chartered Trips" by Hüsker Dü are open to interpretation, and some have speculated that the song is about escapism and the futility of searching for answers. The lyrics describe the singer picking up their belongings and going on a chartered trip, hoping to find something new in places they've never been before. However, they soon begin to realize that nothing is ever truly solved, and the horizon is always oblivious. They hear the porter call and warn them that there's no returning from this chartered trip away.
The lyrics use vivid imagery to paint a picture of the singer's surroundings, including a desert where trees grow on every wall. The chorus repeats the phrase "the sky's the limit on this chartered trip away," but the repetition takes on a darker tone as it becomes clear that there is no way back from this journey. The final lines of the song emphasize this sense of finality, with the singer acknowledging that there is no returning from this chartered trip away.
Some have speculated that the song is a commentary on the emptiness of consumer culture, with the chartered trip representing a consumerist fantasy that ultimately leads nowhere. Others have suggested that the song is a metaphor for the search for meaning in life, with the horizon symbolizing the elusive nature of truth and the futility of searching for answers.
Line by Line Meaning
I picked up my belongings in a nylon carry-all
I gathered my things in a convenient nylon bag
Heard the porter call
I listened to the attendant's announcement
He said "the sky's the limit on this chartered trip away"
The attendant claimed there were no limits on this organized journey
I guess I'd better stay
I decided it was best for me to not go on the trip
Out there on the desert, I see trees on every wall
In the desert, I imagine trees on the horizon
Nothing's ever solved
There are always problems that remain unresolved
I thought I owed myself a trip away
I felt like I deserved a break, a getaway
I wanted to go to places, I have never been away
I desired to explore new destinations
I looked at the pictures, imagine where they lay, away
I viewed images of unknown places and pictured myself there
On a beach by the sand, where their clothes all lay away
I envisioned a pristine beach covered in abandoned clothing
Clothes, yeah, yeah, free from all the noise, nylon carry-all
Clothing liberated from the clatter, in my handy bag
Horizon is oblivious, chartered trip away
The destination has an unaware horizon, part of a planned journey
Guess I better stay
I concluded that it was in my best interest to not go on the trip
Aah, aah, to go to places, I have
Aah, aah, to explore new lands
Places, I have never been away
Locations never before visited
Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
They declared that there was no way to come back from this planned venture
Said "no returning"
Explicitly stated that returning is impossible
From this chartered trip away
From this controlled excursion
Said there's no returning
Emphasized that there is no way to come back
From this chartered trip away
From this organized journey
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BOB MOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind