Travelling With Charley
The Cardigans Lyrics
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Jump into his motorcar
Once we're rolling down the road
He's forgotten where to go
Travelling with Charley
My detective darling
My agent hasn't solved a case
My agent never finds a trace
But Charley has always style
Charley is always nice
Poor Charley
He would be nothing without me
Once I clear his memory
But he'll crash into a tree
Once we're getting to the place
Someone else has solved the case
Travelling with Charley
My detective darling
My agent hasn't solved a case
My agent never finds a trace
But Charley has always style
Charley is always nice
Poor Charley
He would be nothing without me
But I do love him
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The Cardigans' song Travelling With Charley tells the story of the singer's travels with her partner Charley, who is a detective. The first verse describes Charley receiving a "mystic call" and jumping into his motorcar to begin their journey. However, as they're driving, Charley forgets where they're going. The chorus repeatedly refers to Charley as the singer's "detective darling" and mentions her agent's inability to solve cases or find "a trace." In contrast, Charley is praised for his style and pleasant nature. The second verse tells of the singer clearing Charley's memory, but even then he ends up crashing into a tree because someone else has already solved the case.
The lyrics paint Charley as a flawed but lovable character who is almost a comic counterpart to the more serious detective archetypes commonly found in stories. The singer's love for Charley is clear, even though she admits to having to clear his memory and that he would be "nothing" without her. However, it's also arguable that Charley's charm, personality, and style are what make him valuable, even if his investigative abilities are lacking.
Overall, the song seems to be a lighthearted tribute to a partner or friend who may not be the greatest at their job, but who has other qualities that make them a joy to be around.
Line by Line Meaning
Once he gets a mystic call
As soon as Charley receives a mysterious phone call
Jump into his motorcar
He quickly gets into his car
Once we're rolling down the road
As soon as we're driving on the road
He's forgotten where to go
Charley can't recall the destination
Travelling with Charley
I'm on a journey with Charley
My detective darling
Charley has detective abilities and is dear to me
My agent hasn't solved a case
My agent has not managed to resolve a single case
My agent never finds a trace
My agent can never seem to find any leads or evidence
But Charley has always style
Charley possesses an air of sophistication
Charley is always nice
Charley is kind-hearted
Poor Charley
It's unfortunate for Charley
He would be nothing without me
Charley needs me for support
Once I clear his memory
After I help Charley recollect the details
But he'll crash into a tree
However, he may have a car accident
Once we're getting to the place
As soon as we're approaching the intended destination
Someone else has solved the case
Someone else managed to resolve the mystery
But I do love him
Despite everything, I still love and appreciate Charley
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MAGNUS SVENINGSSON, PETER ANDERS SVENSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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