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Scared Straight
The Long Winters Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Washington's on the one
I'm in the middle of speaking
And you're under the gun
Seething, leave it to the lone nut
It's unappealing in someone so young
Plaintive, you're feeling so washed up
And you mean it when you say you're done
Five lanes of freeway
But it's all gone dark
You called to say you're gonna run
Well,Can you wait?
Can you stand it?
Are you brave or are you scared straight?
She didn't want you to:
Speak right, be strong, act nice, take so long
Call time, seem tired, leave mad, get so wired
Maybe you belong to someone
Maybe you have finally met them
Maybe smoke belongs in the sky
Maybe I hate it when you cry
You were hurt so you got hard
You were cursed and scolded and scared
You were searched for, then ignored
You want to burn the liars?
You'll set us both on fire
You're faking, so I'm pretend sleeping
Waiting for this to be fun
It's true little miss mean mini-bar guard
We're gonna have to try something new
Let me breath fire down on you

Overall Meaning

The Long Winters's song Scared Straight talks about someone who is going through a tough time, feeling like they're washed up and undecided on what to do next, while in conversation with someone else who seems to be under a lot of pressure. The person speaking is in the middle of a talk while the other person is on the phone, indicating that they may be in a different place, probably driving through the city since they mention a five-lane freeway, and they sound like they're running away from something. The chorus then asks if they're brave enough to face their problems or if they're scared straight, which is basically trying to scare someone into changing their behavior.


The line "She didn't want you to speak right, be strong, act nice, take so long, call time, seem tired, leave mad, get so wired" seems to be directed towards someone who is always struggling to fit in and be accepted by others, and as a result, they're draining themselves out. The line "Maybe smoke belongs in the sky, maybe I hate it when you cry" suggests that the singer is fed up because they feel like the other person is just trying to escape their problems by running away or perhaps smoking. The bridge then reveals that the other person has been hurt in the past, and they're now playing tough to guard themselves against any future pain.


Line by Line Meaning

Washington's on the one
Everything is in a state of chaos and confusion


I'm in the middle of speaking
I'm trying to communicate something important


And you're under the gun
You're under pressure and feeling threatened


Seething, leave it to the lone nut
You're angry and taking it out on others, like a crazy person


It's unappealing in someone so young
It's unattractive to see someone so young acting so angry and irrational


Plaintive, you're feeling so washed up
You feel hopeless and worn out


And you mean it when you say you're done
You're truly finished and don't want to continue


Five lanes of freeway
A busy and hectic environment


But it's all gone dark
Everything is suddenly uncertain and scary


You called to say you're gonna run
You're considering running away from your problems


Well,Can you wait?
Can you hold off and not make any rash decisions?


Can you stand it?
Can you endure what's happening?


Are you brave or are you scared straight?
Are you facing your fears and being brave, or are you letting your fears control you?


She didn't want you to:
She had certain expectations for your behavior


Speak right, be strong, act nice, take so long
She wanted you to communicate effectively, be confident, be kind, and not waste time


Call time, seem tired, leave mad, get so wired
But you were tired, frustrated, and agitated, and it caused problems in your relationship


Maybe you belong to someone
Maybe there's someone out there who truly understands and accepts you


Maybe you have finally met them
Maybe you've found that person and things are looking up


Maybe smoke belongs in the sky
Maybe there are things that belong in their proper place, like smoke in the sky


Maybe I hate it when you cry
Maybe I don't like seeing you upset


You were hurt so you got hard
You became tough and guarded after experiencing pain


You were cursed and scolded and scared
You were treated unfairly and made to feel fearful


You were searched for, then ignored
You were wanted at first, but eventually rejected and overlooked


You want to burn the liars?
You want to expose those who have lied to you and make them face the consequences


You'll set us both on fire
But your anger and desire for revenge could harm both yourself and others


You're faking, so I'm pretend sleeping
You're not being honest about your true feelings, so I'm pretending to not notice


Waiting for this to be fun
I'm hoping that this situation will become enjoyable and less stressful


It's true little miss mean mini-bar guard
You're being a bit harsh and controlling about something small and insignificant


We're gonna have to try something new
We need to approach this situation differently


Let me breath fire down on you
Let me help you confront this situation with strength and determination




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: John Roderick

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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