“Rental Car” is the twelfth track off of Beck’s 2005 album “Guero”. The son… Read Full Bio ↴“Rental Car” is the twelfth track off of Beck’s 2005 album “Guero”. The song implies that like is like a rental car, as you can’t have it for long, or you’ll have to pay a lot of “money”.

This song, along with “Earthquake Weather” was originally intended to be on the 1999 album, “Midnite Vultures.” However, Beck removed them due to them being too “tongue-in-cheek.”

Rental Car
Beck Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey now girl what's the matter with me
We're on a back road something to see
Straight as a razor kickin' the dust
Diggin' through ditches and fallin' to rust

Takin' me far
Far as a rental car can go

Hey now girl at the end of the road
Down where the reaper is walkin' alone
Singing a death knell
Clappin' along
At the end of the night
There's a road we'll be on

Takin' me far,
Far as a rental car can go

Overall Meaning

When it comes to interpreting the lyrics of "Rental Car" by Beck, there are a few different ways to approach the meaning. One possible interpretation is that the song is about being on a journey or adventure, with the rental car serving as a metaphor for the vehicle that takes us through life's ups and downs. The opening lines suggest a sense of urgency or restlessness, with the singer asking "what's the matter with me" and expressing a desire to see something new on the "back road" they're traveling. The image of "Diggin' through ditches and fallin' to rust" could represent the challenges and obstacles we face along the way, but also the thrill of taking risks and pushing ourselves to the limit.

As the song progresses, it takes on a darker tone with the mention of the "reaper" walking alone and singing a "death knell." This could be seen as a reminder of mortality and the finite nature of our time on earth. However, the line "clappin' along" suggests that there's still joy to be found even in the face of darkness and uncertainty. In the end, the singer seems to accept that wherever the road may lead, they'll go as far as the rental car can take them.

Overall, "Rental Car" is a reflective and evocative song that captures the sense of adventure and possibility that comes with being on the open road. The lyrics can be interpreted in different ways depending on one's perspective, but the theme of pushing past limitations and embracing the unknown is a common thread throughout.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey now girl what's the matter with me
Beck is asking a girl what her problem is with him.

We're on a back road something to see
They are taking a back road to see something interesting that is not usually seen.

Straight as a razor kickin' the dust
They are driving straight on a dusty road.

Diggin' through ditches and fallin' to rust
They are driving through ditches and falling to rust because the road is rough.

Takin' me far
The road is taking him a long way.

Far as a rental car can go
They are driving as far as a rental car allows them to.

Hey now girl at the end of the road
The girl is at the end of the road.

Down where the reaper is walkin' alone
The reaper is walking alone at the end of the road.

Singing a death knell
The reaper is singing a song about death.

Clappin' along
The reaper is clapping along to the song.

At the end of the night
This happens at the end of the night.