Checkout Line
Citizen King Lyrics
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ticket to
pay well i can't see where this is going again because i'm behind with
every
ugly
face while i wear i waste my time marinade and skip again i'll be doing
fine
in the meantime 'til the next time i'm waiting in the checkout line liquid
crystal display turning a year and a day a special light for the blues on
a
big holiday well i can't see where this is going again because i'm dead
last
with every line that begins register's on the edge with a one-way
exchange
paper or plastic today while i'm checking in at the checkout
boomarang on the
dime drop stop just passing by just passing by
The lyrics to Citizen King's song "Checkout Line" reflect the experience of waiting in line at a store or supermarket. The first line suggests that the future is uncertain and that the singer is at the mercy of fate, as the outcome is "up in the air." The escalator represents a transition, a progression that takes the singer away from where they were and into a new phase of waiting in the checkout line. The act of paying for goods is described as a never-ending cycle of purchasing items, with each transaction punctuated by another "ticket to pay."
The next lines give a sense of frustration and confusion, as the singer admits that they "can't see where this is going again," implying that this experience is not new. In this state of confusion, they find themselves "behind with every line that [they're] in." The image of the "single file in the pile" reinforces the monotony of this experience. The phrase "calgon take me away" is a reference to a bath product's tagline from the 1970s, suggesting the singer's desire to escape from this mundane reality. Despite this, the singer manages to find some humor in the situation by attempting to put on a "smile on the ugly face."
The third verse uses metaphors of time to describe the wait, beginning with the liquid crystal display turning "a year and a day." The special light for the blues on a big holiday is a reference to the blue light specials of supermarkets in the 1970s, where products were discounted for a short time with a blue light flashing above the aisle. The song concludes with the image of a "boomarang on the dime drop," suggesting the cyclical nature of this experience, with the singer "just passing by" without truly moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
it's up in the air an escalator away
The outcome is uncertain, but it's only a short distance away.
a comma into the phrase another ticket to pay
Each new line is like a pause in a long sentence where you have to pay again.
well i can't see where this is going again because i'm behind with every line that i'm in
I don't know where any of these lines are leading because I'm always stuck at the end.
single file in the pile calgon take me away
I'm just another person waiting in a long line, wishing I was somewhere else.
smile on the ugly face while i wear i waste my time
I try to keep a positive attitude, even though I know I'm just wasting my time waiting in line.
marinade and skip again i'll be doing fine
I distract myself by daydreaming, knowing that eventually I'll be done with this line.
in the meantime 'til the next time i'm waiting in the checkout line
I know that this won't be the last time I have to wait in line, so I might as well accept it as a fact of life.
liquid crystal display turning a year and a day
The bright screen indicating my wait time feels like it's taking forever.
a special light for the blues on a big holiday
Even on special occasions, waiting in line can still be frustrating.
well i can't see where this is going again because i'm dead last with every line that begins
I'm always at the end of the line no matter where I go, so it feels like there's no point in trying to guess where it's going.
register's on the edge with a one-way exchange paper or plastic today
The cashier is impatient and unfriendly, and all they care about is whether I'm paying with cash or credit.
while i'm checking in at the checkout boomarang on the dime drop stop just passing by just passing by
People are in a hurry to leave and don't bother to be courteous to those still waiting in line.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID J. COOLEY, MATTHEW JOHN SIMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind