Santa Fe
Adam Jacobs Lyrics
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Me, I'm dying to get away
To a little town out west that's spanking new.
And while I ain't never been there
I can see it, clear as day
If you want, I bet that you could see it too.
Where it's clean and green and pretty,
And they went and made a city out of clay
Why the minute that you get there
Folks will walk right up and say,
"Welcome home son,
welcome home to SANTA FE"
Planting crops, splitting rails
Swapping tales around the fire
'Cept for Sunday when you lie around all day
Soon your friends are more like family,
And they's begging you to stay.
Ain't that neat, living sweet, in SANTA FE.
Where does it say you gotta live and die here?
Where does it say a guy can't catch a break?
Why should you only take what you're given,
Why should you spend your whole live living
Trapped where there ain't no future,
Even at seventeen,
Breaking your back for someone else's sake?
If the life don't seem to suit you,
How 'bout a change of scene
Far from the lousy headlines
And the deadlines in between?
SANTA FE, my old friend,
I can't spend my whole life dreaming,
Though I know it's all I seem inclined to do.
I ain't getting any younger,
And I want to start brand new.
I need space and fresh air.
Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care.
Save my place, I'll be there... in SANTA FE.
The song Santa Fe by Adam Jacobs is about feeling restless and trapped in a place where there seems to be no future. The singer dreams of escaping to Santa Fe, a little town out west that's spanking new, where life is simple and free. He has never been there, but he can see it clearly in his mind's eye, and he invites the listener to close their eyes and come with him. Santa Fe represents a fresh start, a place to escape from the daily routine of working hard for someone else's sake.
The lyrics paint a picture of a peaceful and idyllic life, where the singer can plant crops, split rails, swap tales, and lie around all day on Sundays. He imagines making friends who become like family, and being begged to stay. The repetition of the phrase "Ain't that neat, living sweet, in SANTA FE" emphasizes the simplicity and joy of this life. The singer questions why he should spend his whole life trapped where there's no future, and why he should only take what he's given. Santa Fe represents a place where he can break free from the constraints of his current life and create a new one for himself.
Overall, Santa Fe is a song about the need for change and the pursuit of a better life. It speaks to the universal desire to escape from the mundane and find something new and exciting. The lyrics paint a vivid image of a new frontier where anything is possible, and the singer is determined to make it there.
Line by Line Meaning
They say folks is dying to get here.
People can't wait to come here, but I want to leave.
Me, I'm dying to get away
I really want to go somewhere else.
To a little town out west that's spanking new.
I want to go to a new, small town in the western part of the country.
And while I ain't never been there
Although I've never been there,
I can see it, clear as day
I can picture it very clearly in my mind.
If you want, I bet that you could see it too.
If you try, I'm sure you could imagine it as well.
Close your eyes, come with me
Imagine with me, picture this place.
Where it's clean and green and pretty,
Where it's beautiful and well-maintained.
And they went and made a city out of clay
And they used clay to build a city.
Why the minute that you get there
As soon as you arrive there,
Folks will walk right up and say,
People will greet you warmly.
"Welcome home son, welcome home to SANTA FE"
They will welcome you and call it your new home in Santa Fe.
Planting crops, splitting rails
Doing farming and building jobs.
Swapping tales around the fire
Sharing stories with friends.
'Cept for Sunday when you lie around all day
Except for Sundays when you rest.
Soon your friends are more like family,
Soon your friends become like family to you.
And they's begging you to stay.
They will ask you to stay.
Ain't that neat, living sweet, in SANTA FE.
It's a great experience, sweet living in Santa Fe.
Where does it say you gotta live and die here?
Why do people think they have to stay in one place their entire lives?
Where does it say a guy can't catch a break?
Why can't someone have a lucky break or opportunity?
Why should you only take what you're given,
Why settle for less than what you want?
Why should you spend your whole live living
Why waste your life feeling unhappy?
Trapped where there ain't no future,
Feeling stuck with no future prospects.
Even at seventeen,
Even when you're still young.
Breaking your back for someone else's sake?
Working hard to make someone else happy or successful.
If the life don't seem to suit you,
If you're not happy with your life,
How 'bout a change of scene
Why not move somewhere else for a fresh start?
Far from the lousy headlines
Far away from negative news stories.
And the deadlines in between?
And the pressure and urgency of life in between?
SANTA FE, my old friend,
Referring to Santa Fe as if it's an old friend of his.
I can't spend my whole life dreaming,
I can't just keep dreaming about this, I need to take action.
Though I know it's all I seem inclined to do.
Although it seems like that's all I do, I want to actually make it happen.
I ain't getting any younger,
I'm not getting any younger and I don't want to waste any more time.
And I want to start brand new.
I want to start fresh and new in a new place.
I need space and fresh air.
I need room to breathe and a change of scenery.
Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care.
I don't care if people think it's foolish, I still want to go.
Save my place, I'll be there... in SANTA FE.
Keep a space for me, I'll be there in Santa Fe.
Contributed by Brayden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.