Car Crash
Artist vs. Poet Lyrics


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Ba, da, da, da, da, da
Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Ba, da, da, da, da, da
Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da

What's it gonna take to wake me up
From this black hole I've been living in?
I see my body shake, it's tensing up
My vitals won't be givin' in.

Wake me up.

(Ooh, woo, ooh) I've found what I've been missin' lately.
(Ooh, woo, ooh) It's the reason why my heart's been racing.
It took a car crash to turn it around,
I've figured it out- that I don't have it down.
(Ooh, woo, ooh) I gotta get my feet back on the ground.

Ba, da, da, da, da, da
Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da

This isn't at all what I expected-
To be stranded, drifting all alone.
How can I stay cool, calm, and collected
When my world's been turned and overthrown?

All I can remember was the brake lights flashing,
The sound of the crash, and gasping for air.
It begs the question:
Is this the end?
My last impression:
The end of the world.

Wake me up.

(Ooh, woo, ooh) I've found what I've been missin' lately.
(Ooh, woo, ooh) It's the reason why my heart's been racing.
It took a car crash to turn it around,
I've figured it out- that I don't have it down.
(Ooh, woo, ooh) I gotta get my feet back on the ground.

The lights and sounds,
They are getting closer now.
As they surround,
I realize I will make it out.
And as they pull me from the wreckage,
The stretcher's coming, it's just what I need.

Wake me up.
And it's obvious...

(Ooh, woo, ooh) I've found what I've been missin' lately.
(Ooh, woo, ooh) It's the reason why my heart's been racing.
It took a car crash to turn it around,
I've figured it out- that I don't have it down.
(It took a car crash to turn it around.)
(Ooh, woo, ooh) I've found what I've been missin' lately.
(Ooh, woo, ohh) It's the reason why my heart's been racing.
It took a car crash to turn it around,
I've figured it out- that I don't have it down.
(It took a car crash to turn it around.)
(Ooh, woo, ohh) I finally get my feet back on the ground.





Ba, da, da, da, da, da,
Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Artist vs. Poet's song Car Crash explore the idea of a sudden and unexpected event drastically changing a person's perspective and causing them to re-evaluate their life. The opening lines set the scene for the song, with the singer expressing a desire to be awakened from the "black hole" they have been living in. The repetition of the "ba, da, da" refrain adds to the sense of unease and tension.


The chorus reveals that the "car crash" referred to in the title is a metaphorical one, representing a moment of realization that has caused the singer to "figure[ ] it out" and recognize that they need to get their "feet back on the ground." The repeated phrase "I've found what I've been missin' lately" suggests that this realization is something deeply personal and individual.


The second verse continues the theme of the unexpected, with the singer feeling "stranded, drifting all alone." The lyrics suggest that the moment of realization has come at a cost, with the singer questioning whether this might be "the end." The final lines return to the refrain from the chorus, with the singer once again expressing a desire to be awakened from their previous way of life.


Line by Line Meaning

Ba, da, da, da, da, da
Instrumental intro


Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Instrumental intro continued


Ba, da, da, da, da, da
Instrumental segue


Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Instrumental segue continued


What's it gonna take to wake me up
What event or realization is necessary to motivate me to change my ways?


From this black hole I've been living in?
From this state of depression or hopelessness I have been trapped in?


I see my body shake, it's tensing up
I feel physical symptoms of fear or anxiety


My vitals won't be givin' in.
My basic bodily functions remain stable and consistent


(Ooh, woo, ooh) I've found what I've been missin' lately.
I have discovered the thing or person that has been absent from my life


(Ooh, woo, ooh) It's the reason why my heart's been racing.
This discovery has caused my heart to beat faster with excitement or anticipation


It took a car crash to turn it around,
It required a traumatic experience to create a significant change or realization


I've figured it out- that I don't have it down.
I have come to understand that I do not have everything under control or figured out


(Ooh, woo, ooh) I gotta get my feet back on the ground.
I need to regain my sense of stability and control in my life


This isn't at all what I expected-
The situation is not unfolding how I had anticipated or planned


To be stranded, drifting all alone.
To feel lost or without direction, and to have no one to turn to for help


How can I stay cool, calm, and collected
How can I keep my composure and remain level-headed


When my world's been turned and overthrown?
When everything in my life has been thrown into chaos or turmoil


All I can remember was the brake lights flashing,
The only memory I have of the incident is the sight of the other vehicle's brake lights


The sound of the crash, and gasping for air.
The noise of the collision, and the experience of struggling to breathe


It begs the question:
It prompts the inquiry:


Is this the end?
Is this the conclusion of my life, or a significant chapter?


My last impression:
My final thought or feeling:


The end of the world.
The end of my personal world, or the end of the world as I know it


The lights and sounds,
The sensory stimuli


They are getting closer now.
They are approaching me with increasing proximity


As they surround,
As they encircle or envelop me


I realize I will make it out.
I come to the realization that I will survive this situation


And as they pull me from the wreckage,
As emergency responders extract me from the wreckage of the car


The stretcher's coming, it's just what I need.
Medical personnel arrive with a stretcher to provide the assistance I require


And it's obvious...
The truth or conclusion is clear and undeniable


I've found what I've been missin' lately.
I have discovered what has been absent from my life


It took a car crash to turn it around,
It was a traumatic experience that brought about this realization or change


I've figured it out- that I don't have it down.
I have come to understand that I do not have control of my situation or emotions


(It took a car crash to turn it around.)
Reiteration that a traumatic experience was required to prompt change


(Ooh, woo, ooh) I finally get my feet back on the ground.
I am able to regain my sense of stability and control


Ba, da, da, da, da, da,
Instrumental outro


Ba, da, da, da, da, da, da, da, da
Instrumental outro continued




Contributed by Owen C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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