Omaha
Adam Duritz Lyrics

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Start tearing the old man down,
Run past the heather and down to the old road,
Start turning the grain into the ground,
Roll a new leaf over, in the middle of the night,
There's an old man treading around in the gathered rain,
Well mister, if you're going to walk on water,
Oh could you drop a line my way?

Omaha, somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door, oh.

Start threading a needle,
Brush past the shuttle that slides through the cold room,
Start turning the wool across the wire,
Roll a new life over, in the middle of the night,
There's an old man threading his toes through a bucket of rain,
Hey mister, you don't want to walk on water,
'Cause you're only going to walk all over me.

Omaha, somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door.

Start running the banner down,
Drop past the color come up through the summer rain,
Start turning the girl into the ground,
Roll a new love over, in the middle of the day,
There's a young man rolling around in the earth and rain,
Hey mister, if you're going to walk on water,
You know you're only going to walk all over me.

Omaha, somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door.

Omaha, oh somewhere in middle America,
Get right to the heart of matters, oh,
It's the heart that matters more,
I think you better turn your ticket in,
And get your money back at the door,

Oh, said Omaha, Sunday morning,
I'm coming home today.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Adam Duritz's song "Omaha" start with him telling the listener to tear down the old man, run past the heather, and turn the grain into the ground. He then talks about an old man walking in the rain and if he could drop a line if he's going to walk on water. The song emphasizes the middle American city of Omaha as Duritz sings "Omaha, somewhere in middle America." He encourages listeners to get to the heart of matters, which is the most important thing in life. Finally, he tells the listener to turn their ticket in and get their money back at the door.

The song describes the struggles of life in America and how individuals can be taken advantage of in the pursuit of the American Dream. The song's lyrics reference poverty, greed, and manipulation. The message of the song is for people to be more conscious of what really matters in life and not get distracted by material possessions. The repetition of the refrain shows the importance of the heart and how it is the key to fulfillment in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Start tearing the old man down,
Begin dismantling the past and its traditional ways.

Run past the heather and down to the old road,
Move towards a simpler time, back to basics.

Start turning the grain into the ground,
Break free from societal norms, start new beginnings.

Roll a new leaf over, in the middle of the night,
Embrace change in the darkness, unknown and yet to be discovered.

There's an old man treading around in the gathered rain,
The past is still present, trying to make sense of the present.

Well mister, if you're going to walk on water, Oh could you drop a line my way?
If you can perform miracles, could you lend a hand to those in need?

Start threading a needle, Brush past the shuttle that slides through the cold room, Start turning the wool across the wire, Roll a new life over, in the middle of the night, There's an old man threading his toes through a bucket of rain, Hey mister, you don't want to walk on water, 'Cause you're only going to walk all over me.
Begin a new journey, start over, creating a new life. The past will always be present, but don't put up with being used or taken advantage of.

Start running the banner down, Drop past the color come up through the summer rain, Start turning the girl into the ground, Roll a new love over, in the middle of the day, There's a young man rolling around in the earth and rain, Hey mister, if you're going to walk on water, You know you're only going to walk all over me.
Love without fear, fall into it with all your heart. Don't let the past control you or hold you back from experiencing something new.

Omaha, oh somewhere in middle America, Get right to the heart of matters, oh, It's the heart that matters more, I think you better turn your ticket in, And get your money back at the door, Oh, said Omaha, Sunday morning, I'm coming home today.
Focus on the present and the heart, because that's all that truly matters. It's never too late to start fresh and move forward.

Contributed by Jeremiah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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