secret
-Maroon 5 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Watch the sunrise
Say your goodbyes
Off we go
Some conversation
No contemplation
Hit the road

Car overheats
Jump out of my seat
On the side of the highway, baby
Our road is long
Your hold is strong
Please don't ever let it go, oh no

I know I don't know you
But I want you so bad
Everyone has a secret
Oh, can they keep it?
Oh, no they can't

I'm driving fast now
Don't think I know how to go slow
Oh where you at now?
I feel around
There you are

Cool these engines
Calm these jets
I ask you, how hot can it get?
And as you wipe off beads of sweat
Slowly, you say, I'm not there yet

I know I don't know you
But I want you so bad
Everyone has a secret
Oh, can they keep it?
Oh, no they can't

I know I don't know you
But I want you so bad
Everyone has a secret




Oh but can they keep it?
Oh, no they can't (no, no, no, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Overall Meaning

"Secret" by Maroon 5 is a song about a road trip with a mystery girl, whose identity is not quite clear. Adam Levine describes the journey as they leave at sunrise and have a conversation while driving away with no destination in mind. The unpredictability of the drive is brought out as their car overheats, causing them to pull over at the side of the highway. The girl's hold on the singer is strong enough to make him not want to let her go despite the uncertainty of the adventure. The song's chorus is about keeping a secret that one so badly wants to tell, but knows they should not. The singer states that everyone has a secret, but they cannot keep it as they burst with desire to tell it.


As the drive continues, the singer increases the speed and wants to go faster, indicating that the passenger and the road trip hold significant importance. The pre-chorus reveals that the girl is pushing the singer to chase or reach a destination quickly, but he doesn't know where he is going. The chorus is repeated twice, emphasizing the importance of keeping and not revealing the secret.


The bridge is about the singer cooling down and calming the journey by asking a rhetorical question about how hot one can get. The mystery girl responds by wiping off beads of sweat and indicating that she is not yet there, continuing to keep the secret.


Line by Line Meaning

Watch the sunrise
Starting our journey early in the morning, as the sun rises.


Say your goodbyes
Saying farewell to the person we're leaving behind.


Off we go
We're embarking on a journey or leaving for a new place.


Some conversation
Talking about something with you, trying to start a conversation.


No contemplation
Not thinking too much about what we're doing, just going with the flow.


Hit the road
Starting the trip, beginning our journey on the road.


Car overheats
Our vehicle is experiencing a problem, with the temperature rising abnormally high.


Jump out of my seat
Reacting quickly to the problem and getting out of the car seat.


On the side of the highway, baby
Stopping on the side of the road and trying to fix the car.


Our road is long
Referring to the length of our journey, indicating that it will be a long time until we reach our destination.


Your hold is strong
Holding onto the hope and strength given by the other person for achieving our goals.


Please don't ever let it go, oh no
Asking the other person to keep faith in us and not to give up on us.


I know I don't know you
Acknowledging that we're strangers to each other, but still desiring to be closer.


But I want you so bad
Feeling the urge to be with the other person and spend time with them.


Everyone has a secret
Acknowledging that everyone has something that they don't share with others.


Oh, can they keep it?
Questioning whether the secrets that people hold can actually be kept a secret or not.


Oh, no they can't
Answering the question in the negative and stating that secrets can't be totally kept hidden.


I'm driving fast now
Driving at a high speed to reach our destination quickly.


Don't think I know how to go slow
Admitting that we're not too good at slowing down the pace and taking our time.


Oh where you at now?
Asking the other person where they are because we need their support or help.


I feel around
Searching for the other person, trying to feel their presence around us.


There you are
Finally finding the other person, coming across them during our search.


Cool these engines
Asking the other person to calm us down and soothe us, reduce our anxiety or excitement.


Calm these jets
Asking the other person to help reduce our energy level, excitement, or anxiety.


I ask you, how hot can it get?
Asking the other person how intense the situation can become, how challenging it will be for us to succeed.


And as you wipe off beads of sweat
Observing the other person's physical response to our question as they wipe off sweat from their forehead after a difficult task.


Slowly, you say, I'm not there yet
Answering our question in a patient and calm way that they are not sure yet and taking things slow to figure things out.


No, no, no, oh, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Repeating the earlier lyrics to emphasize the point that secrets can't be kept for long and that everyone has their own unique challenges to face.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adam Levine, James Valentine, Jesse Royal Carmichael, Mickey Madden, Ryan Michael Dusick

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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