Audioslave released three successful albums, received three Grammy nominations, sold more than eight million records worldwide, and became the first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba. Cornell issued a statement in February 2007 that he was permanently leaving the band "due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences." As the other three members were busy with the Rage Against the Machine reunion, and Morello and Cornell had each released solo albums in 2007, Audioslave was officially disbanded.
Discography
2002 Audioslave
2005 Out of Exile
2006 Revelations
i am the highway 0319
Audioslave Lyrics
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Long and weary my road has been
I was lost in the cities
Alone in the hills
No sorrow or pity for leaving I feel
I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am the sky
Friends and liars don't wait for me
I'll get on all by myself
I put millions of miles
Under my heels
And still too close to you
I feel
I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky
I am not your blowing wind
I am the lightening
I am not your autumn moon
I am the night
The night
I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky
I am not your blowing wind
I am the lightening
I am not your autumn moon
I am the night
The night
The lyrics to Audioslave's "I am the Highway" are full of powerful and introspective statements about the singer's journey of self-discovery. The opening lines, "Pearls and swine bereft of me, Long and weary my road has been," suggest that the singer has experienced a great deal of hardship and perhaps sacrificed a lot in pursuit of their personal growth. They go on to describe feeling lost and alone in the cities and hills, but without regret or sorrow for leaving behind what they have left behind.
The repeated refrain, "I am not your rolling wheels, I am the highway," underscores the idea that the singer is not defined by the people, places, or possessions they have left behind but by their own inner strength and resilience. They are not content to ride on someone else's path or follow a pre-determined course but determined to forge their own way in life. The lyrics also metaphorically connect the singer to the natural world, identifying as the sky, lightning, and night.
Overall, the song's lyrics suggest an embracing of personal power and freedom. The singer has traveled far and overcome obstacles to find their own sense of self, and is not willing to be defined or held back by anyone else's expectations or limitations.
Line by Line Meaning
Pearls and swine bereft of me
I have left behind valuable objects and worthless ones as well
Long and weary my road has been
My journey has been filled with hardship and tiredness
I was lost in the cities
I felt disoriented and aimless in the urban landscape
Alone in the hills
I found solitude and peace in the natural environment
No sorrow or pity for leaving I feel
I do not regret leaving and I do not require sympathy
I am not your rolling wheels
I am not a mode of transportation controlled by anyone else
I am the highway
I am the path that I take and the journey I experience
I am not your carpet ride
I am not an object to sit on or ride on top of
I am the sky
I am the vastness and endlessness above and around us
Friends and liars don't wait for me
My companions and deceivers do not anticipate my arrival
I'll get on all by myself
I am capable of and prefer to ride alone
I put millions of miles under my heels
I have traveled an extraordinary distance
And still too close to you I feel
Despite my distance, I am emotionally connected to you
I am not your blowing wind
I am not a natural force that can be easily influenced or changed
I am the lightening
I am a powerful and breathtaking force of nature
I am not your autumn moon
I am not a symbol of temporary beauty or seasonal change
I am the night
I am the mystery and darkness that surrounds us
The night
I am the embodiment of the nighttime experience
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRAD WILK, CHRIS CORNELL, TIMOTHY COMMERFORD, TOM MORELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind