Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The… Read Full Bio ↴Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band's music covers a variety of genres, including blues rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock.
Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994. Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002.

Partner In Crime
Blues Traveler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Trouble has always ever managed to find me
I do my best but in the end I usually get away
That's how it's always been
Quite comfortable in fact
And now at last you've caught me
And it's time to finally pay

Is it the dead man walking

Who feels the most alive?

And you're takin' it to me
You sent a shock right through me
To begin is a lifetime
My partner in crime

Your lead dog's off the leash and he has treed me
Not the finest hiding place I see in retrospect
The only thing to possibly have freed me
Was the mercy that I squandered
No mercy I expect

Is it the dead man walking
Who feels the most alive?

And you're taking it to me
You sent a shock right through me
To begin is a lifetime
My partner in crime
And you're taking it to me
You sent a shock right through me
To begin this lifetime of a partner in crime

Is it the dead man walking
Who feels the most alive?

And you're taking it to me
You sent a shock right through me
To begin is a lifetime
My partner in crime
And you're taking it to me
You sent a shock right through me

To begin is a lifetime
My partner in crime

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Blues Traveler's song Partner in Crime describe a person who always manages to escape trouble until the moment when someone catches them. The song's protagonist is "quite comfortable" with his life of always getting away with things until he is finally caught. The line "Is it the dead man walking who feels the most alive?" suggests that the thrill of being caught is similar to the feeling of being alive.

The singer's captor is described as a lead dog that has treed him. He sees that his hiding place was not a great one once he is caught, and he realizes that he has no hope of mercy. The phrase "to begin is a lifetime" suggests that this moment of being caught will change his life forever. The chorus repeats the idea that he has found a "partner in crime" and that being caught has sent a "shock right through" him.

Overall, the lyrics of Partner in Crime explore the theme of getting caught after a lifetime of troublemaking. They suggest that being caught can be a transformative experience and that the thrill of getting away with things may ultimately lead to a more satisfying life.

Line by Line Meaning

Trouble has always ever managed to find me
I have never been able to evade trouble, it always finds me.

I do my best but in the end I usually get away
I try to avoid trouble, but somehow I manage to escape in the end.

That's how it's always been
This has been my experience throughout my life.

Quite comfortable in fact
I am used to this way of life and it doesn't bother me anymore.

And now at last you've caught me
Finally, someone has caught up with me.

And it's time to finally pay
It is time for me to face the consequences of my actions.

Is it the dead man walking
Does someone who is about to face punishment feel more alive?

Who feels the most alive?
Is it the person who is about to be punished who feels the most alive?

And you're takin' it to me
You are punishing me for my actions.

You sent a shock right through me
Your punishment has had a profound impact on me.

To begin is a lifetime
This experience is life-changing and will stay with me forever.

My partner in crime
The person who caught me and is punishing me is someone who was also involved in the crime.

Your lead dog's off the leash and he has treed me
Your enforcer has found me and has cornered me.

Not the finest hiding place I see in retrospect
Looking back, I realize that the hiding place I chose was not the best one.

The only thing to possibly have freed me
The only way I could have avoided this punishment is if I had shown mercy when I had the chance.

Was the mercy that I squandered
I did not take the opportunity to show mercy when I had the chance.

No mercy I expect
I do not expect to receive any mercy from my captors.

And you're taking it to me
You are punishing me for my actions.

You sent a shock right through me
Your punishment has had a profound impact on me.

To begin this lifetime of a partner in crime
This punishment marks the beginning of a lifelong partnership with the person who caught me.