Long Road to Hell
Avicii Lyrics
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He went down to the crossroads
He sat down and kept his eyes closed
Well, everyone has a price, child
And what it cost him
Why is it so?
You think you're getting away
You walked right into his plan
Run as fast as you think you can
Back from wherever you came
Call the devil by any name
Oh no! Now who do you blame?
Should have listened to what I'd said
What I'd said, what I'd said, yeah!
I don't know if I'll be coming home again, home again
No, I don't know if I'll be coming home
It's a long road to hell without no soul
Just when you think you're getting away
No escape from the deal you made
You walked right into his plan
Run as fast as you think you can
Back from wherever you came
Call the devil by any name
Oh no! Now who do blame?
Should have listened to what I'd said
What I'd said, what I'd said, yeah!
'Cause you're dead and it's a hard road to hell without no soul
The lyrics of Avicii's "Long Road to Hell" are a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of making deals with the devil. The opening lines refer to the crossroads, a recurring motif in blues music where legendary bluesmen like Robert Johnson were said to have sold their souls to the devil in exchange for musical talent. The singer of the song seems to have done the same, but regrets it as he realizes the price he paid was too high.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of being trapped by one's choices. The singer may have thought he could escape the consequences of his deal with the devil, but he quickly realizes he cannot. He tells himself to run as fast as he can, but it seems futile. And when he finally meets his end, he finds himself on a "hard road to hell without no soul."
Overall, the lyrics seem to suggest that one should be careful before making a deal with the devil, as there are always consequences that may not be immediately apparent. The song's ominous tone and repeated warnings underscore this message.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah! Our story goes
This song is a story that tells the struggles of the singer.
He went down to the crossroads
The singer went to a place where he could make a deal with the devil.
He sat down and kept his eyes closed
He was deep in thought and pondering the deal he was about to make.
Well, everyone has a price, child
Everyone has something they desire, and the devil knows how to use it against them.
And what it cost him
The deal the artist made came at a great cost to him.
Why is it so?
The singer is questioning why he made the deal and why it had to cost him so much.
You think you're getting away
The singer believes he can escape the consequences of his deal.
No escape from the deal you made
There is no way for the artist to undo the deal he made with the devil.
You walked right into his plan
The devil had planned every step of the deal, and the artist fell right into his trap.
Run as fast as you think you can
The artist tries to escape the consequences of his deal but finds it impossible.
Back from wherever you came
The singer tries to return to his previous life but realizes it's too late.
Call the devil by any name
The artist realizes he made a deal with the devil, no matter what name he used or form he took.
Oh no! Now who do you blame?
The singer is filled with regret and wonders who he can blame for his current situation.
Should have listened to what I'd said
The singer realizes he made a mistake and wishes he had listened to the advice of others.
What I'd said, what I'd said, yeah!
The advice he ignored was important, and he wishes he could go back and follow it.
I don't know if I'll be coming home again, home again
The artist does not know if he will ever return to his previous life or find redemption.
No, I don't know if I'll be coming home
He is unsure if he will ever find a way out of his situation.
It's a long road to hell without no soul
The consequences of his deal have left the singer feeling like he has lost his soul and is headed down a long path of misery.
Just when you think you're getting away
The singer falsely believes he can still escape his fate.
Cause you're dead and it's a hard road to hell without no soul
The result of the deal was death, and the artist knows his path forward will be difficult without his soul.
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.