Double Life
Cars The Lyrics
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It takes a slow star, lady, if you wanna do it twice
You take your backseat rumble, take your front seat wife
Takes a fast car, lady, to lead a double life
It takes a light foot, lady, to lead a double life
It takes a good book, maybe, if you wanna do it nice
When you idle at the stop light, better get the signal right
Well, lift me from the wonder maze
Alienation is the craze
And it's all gonna happen to you
You think it's a phase
And it's all gonna happen to you
When you drive in the haze
It takes a freeway, lady, to lead a double life
It takes leeway, lady, if you wanna it twice
Neon blinking on the street, everyone is bittersweet
Freeway, lady, to lead a double life
Well, lift me from the wonder maze
Alienation is the craze
And it's all gonna happen to you
You think it's a phase
And it's all gonna happen to you
When you drive in the haze
It's all
Gonna happen to you
It's all gonna happen to you
That's right I said
Well, it's all gonna happen to you
That's right, well
Gonna say it to you
It's all gonna happen to you
Well that's right, oh
Well, it's all gonna happen to you, well
I said, it's all gonna happen to you, ooh-ooh, yeah
Gonna tell you again, I said
It's all gonna happen to you, well
In the song Double Life by The Cars, the lyrics speak about leading a double life. The chorus repeats the line, "It takes a fast car, lady, to lead a double life," emphasizing the need for speed and movement in order to maintain two separate lives. The verses expand on this idea, suggesting that leading a double life requires a level of finesse and skill, whether that's a light foot to avoid detection or a good book to keep up appearances.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of alienation and the emptiness that can come with leading a double life. The line "Alienation is the craze" speaks to the idea of feeling disconnected and lost in a world where leading a double life is commonplace. The repeated refrain "It's all gonna happen to you" suggests a kind of inevitability, as though living a double life is simply a part of the human experience.
Overall, the lyrics of Double Life speak to the idea of duplicity and the desire to keep parts of oneself hidden from the world. Whether this is a matter of survival, desire, or something else entirely, the song suggests that leading a double life is a complex and challenging task that requires speed, skill, and finesse.
Line by Line Meaning
It takes a fast car, lady, to lead a double life
You need a fast-paced lifestyle to keep up with leading two separate lives
It takes a slow star, lady, if you wanna do it twice
If you want to lead two lives successfully, you need to take it slow and steady
You take your backseat rumble, take your front seat wife
You can balance your time between your secret life and your public life
Takes a fast car, lady, to lead a double life
A reminder that a fast-paced lifestyle is necessary to lead two lives simultaneously
It takes a light foot, lady, to lead a double life
You need to be careful and subtle while leading two separate lives
It takes a good book, maybe, if you wanna do it nice
Alternatively, you can approach leading two lives in a knowledgeable and intelligent manner
When you idle at the stop light, better get the signal right
You need to be aware of your surroundings and maintain control of your situation
Light foot, lady, you need a double life
A reminder that you have to be cautious and subtle to balance two separate lives
It takes a freeway, lady, to lead a double life
Highly active environments make it easier to keep up with two separate lives
It takes leeway, lady, if you wanna do it twice
You need to have flexibility and allow for mistakes while leading two lives
Neon blinking on the street, everyone is bittersweet
Lifestyle choices can have consequences for others around you
Freeway, lady, to lead a double life
A reminder of how environment plays a role in leading two lives
Well, lift me from the wonder maze
A request to remove confusion and uncertainty from the situation
Alienation is the craze
Feeling disconnected from others is common in this lifestyle
And it's all gonna happen to you
The consequences and challenges of leading two lives will catch up to you eventually
You think it's a phase
You may believe that leading two lives is temporary or a passing phase
When you drive in the haze
When you are in a state of confusion or uncertainty
It's all gonna happen to you
An emphasis on the inevitability of the consequences of leading two lives
That's right I said
An assertion that the message being conveyed is accurate
Gonna say it to you
Reiteration of the message that the consequences of leading two lives are unavoidable
Well, it's all gonna happen to you
An emphasis on the inevitability and impending nature of the consequences of leading two lives
I said, it's all gonna happen to you, ooh-ooh, yeah
Continuation of the emphasis on the inevitability of the consequences of leading two lives
Gonna tell you again, I said
Reiteration of the message being conveyed
It's all gonna happen to you, well
An emphasis that these consequences are unavoidable
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ric Ocasek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@twang8884
Once again ELLIOT EASTON steps up to the plate and hits it out of the park with his brilliant lead playing. SO SO SO underrated as a player. This song ( along with many others on this same album) sparkle to the point of being almost magical. Brings me back to the summer of 1979 when I was 14. BLOODY EXCELLENT!!!!!
@albertchavez2693
100% true and i was 18 going on 25 , man i had it made Great job in the local steel mill and got paid Union scale like a grown man , got me a 1974 Kawasaki H2 triple cylinder 2 Stroke pocket Rocket oh man the memories i have are the best :) Cars and so many other Great bands were out and i was in the middle of it all Living in Los Angeles area i went to so many concerts :) TY Jesus
@doughoward1653
Cars Rock cars Rock I mean
@PaulyJ123
Yup I was 17 and from Boston and we had J Geils, Aerosmith and Boston rocking us as well. Glory Days.
@mickywinters8451
Not “underrated”. Most overused word by anyone about these guys especially Easton . They’re in the damn rock and roll hall of fame. They didn’t get in because they’re underrated or their guitarist is. Wanna hear underrated? Steve vai. I can name 100 plus bands and guitarists that aren’t in the hall. To name another? Dokkens guitarist mr scary. That’s underrated. That word is used so damn loosely on here about any guitarist that simply isn’t true.
@johnnyo8903
As far as I am concerned his career average he would have batted .1000 when it came to solos. Even when the songwriting was a little more subpar (for The Cars at least) later on like on songs like "Strap Me In" he still nailed the lead. And for anyone who thinks he is somehow overrated as a lead guitar player fellow Bostonian rocker (and guitar virtuoso as far as I am concerned) Nuno Bettencort essentially said no one played more perfect guitar solos for the song than Elliot Easton (it's in the video interview on Rick Beato's page if you doubt the validity) so that's about as much of a musical walk off Grand Slam as I have ever heard.
@PJ818
This song is absolutely under appreciated. This is way up there as one of their greats.
@joeski734
Agreed. The whole album is great. Just masterful work by the band and Roy Thomas Baker's production was genius. David Robinson has the best drum sound in rock on this record.
@jeffvikings6240
Ohhh hahaha man! This song hit radio about the same time I dropped out of school and enlisted in the military! I intended to make that the summer of my life before I went to duty! The Cars was a big part of my high-school life and then it sent me off to the Army...Nothing but love ❤️
@rollandcourtney
How cute jeff