Via Chicago
Wilco Lyrics

I dreamed about killing you again last night
The singer had a dream in which they killed someone, and it didn't seem to bother them.

And it felt alright to me
The singer didn't experience any remorse for their dream, and it even felt good to them.

Dying on the banks of Embarcadero skies
The singer imagines a scenario where they or someone else dies while looking at the sky in Embarcadero.

I sat and watched you bleed
The artist witnessed the blood from their dream victim seeping out.

Buried you alive in a fireworks display
The artist envisions a monstrous burial of their dream victim, involving fireworks raining down on them.

Raining down on me
The singer feels affected by the events of their dream, despite not feeling remorseful about the murder.

You cold, hot blood ran away from me
The victim's blood began moving away from the singer in the dream, signifying their death.

To the sea
The victim's blood, symbolic of their life force, flows away from the artist towards the sea, which is often seen as a place of death and rebirth.

I painted my name on the back of a leaf
The artist writes their name on something small and fragile, like a leaf, which can easily be taken away by the wind.

And I watched it float away
The artist observes as their name on the leaf disappears and is carried away by the wind, representing their disillusionment with trying to hold onto something or someone.

The hope I had in a notebook full of white, dry pages
The singer had a notebook filled with blank pages, which they might have intended to use for writing, but their motivation to do so dried up.

Was all I tried to save
The artist made an effort to save something small, like hope, without really considering the larger picture.

But the wind blew me back via Chicago
Despite the singer's intention to leave and move on, they find themselves returning to Chicago, possibly a place from their past or a metaphor for a situation they can't escape.

In the middle of the night
The singer makes this journey in the middle of the night, perhaps indicating something secretive or shameful.

And all without fight
The singer has little control over their circumstances or where they end up; things simply happen to them without a struggle.

At the crush of veils and starlight
The artist is overwhelmed or entranced by the 'crush' of something mysterious or out of their control, represented by 'veils' and 'starlight'.

I know I'll make it back
Despite the difficulties that the artist faces, they have confidence that they'll eventually make it home.

One of these days and turn on your TV
When the singer finally returns, they imagine watching someone who looks like them on TV getting chased.

To watch a man with a face like mine
The singer would see someone who physically resembles them being pursued, possibly acting as a metaphor for their own experiences or feelings of vulnerability.

Being chased down a busy street
The man on TV is being pursued on a busy street, which could represent the dangers or chaos of everyday life.

When he gets caught, I won't get up
When this man on TV is caught, the artist won't physically react, possibly indicating a detachment or apathy towards events outside of their own experience.

And I won't go to sleep
The artist won't allow themselves to rest or 'go to sleep' until they're home safe and sound.

I'm coming home, I'm coming home
The singer repeats this phrase to solidify their determination to return home.

Where the cups are cracked and hooked
The artist describes their home as a place where things aren't perfect, as indicated by cups that are 'cracked and hooked'.

Above the sink
This detail places the cups in the context of a home, in the kitchen where people go to wash dishes and prepare food.

They make me think
Even in this 'cracked and hooked' home, the singer is able to find inspiration and ideas.

Crumbling ladder tears don't fall
This line could be interpreted in various ways, but it seems to describe a situation where tears or feelings are not explicitly expressed, as if there's a broken ladder that doesn't allow them to 'fall' or flow naturally.

They shine down your shoulders
Despite the lack of visible tears, the emotions of the artist or someone else are still apparent, as they shine down the person's shoulders.

And crawling is screw faster lash
This line is one of the more enigmatic parts of the song, but it could be seen as a metaphor for how people often feel like they're making progress towards something ('crawling') only to suddenly be faced with an obstacle ('screw faster lash') that sets them back.

I blow it with kisses
Despite the difficulties and setbacks they face, the singer tries to remain optimistic and sends positive energy towards their situation with 'blow[ing] it with kisses'.

I rest my head on a pillowy star
The singer finds comfort or rest by placing their head on a 'pillowy star', a celestial object that gives off a calming, etherial vibe.

And a cracked door moon
Similarly to the 'cracked and hooked' cups, the moon in the artist's home is also 'cracked', which could indicate that things aren't perfect or ideal.

That says I haven't gone too far
Despite the difficulties and setbacks they've faced, the artist realizes that they haven't gone too far from a place of comfort or familiarity, as indicated by the 'door' in the 'cracked door moon'.

Searching for a home
Throughout the song, the artist is on a journey - figuratively and maybe even literally - to find a place that feels like 'home'.

Via Chicago
Chicago seems to be a key location in the singer's journey or search, likely representing something important to them or a place of personal significance.