A small side-project turned into a fully fledged album. The front man and drummer, Taylor Hawkins, quotes it as "an accident". Other members include Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction, and also played with Taylor with Alanis Morissette) and an enigmatic "Gannin" on bass.
Louise
Coattail Riders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good times never end
With bad back to bend
Close my eyes just in time
Hands that I won't shake
Bones that I can't break
It takes time to change
Fall in line, one more time
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Climbing up your walls (I'm not your acrobat)
Diggin' in your holes (I'm not your sewer rat)
Falling down your stairs
Pull my light one more time
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Louise, it's me
I'm a dead man walking down your street
It takes time to change
The Coattail Riders' song, "Louise," is a haunting and emotional meditation on one man's struggle with addiction and the overwhelming desire to change. The opening line, "woke up in my head, good times never end," suggests a sense of euphoria or a fleeting high, perhaps indicative of drug use. However, the following line, "with bad back to bend," suggests the cost of these addictive behaviors. The singer is physically strained and likely suffering from the consequences of his choices.
The chorus is a repeated refrain of "Louise, it's me. I'm a dead man walking down your street." Louise could be a metaphor for the addiction that the singer is grappling with, or it could be a literal person. Either way, the repetition of the line reinforces feelings of hopelessness and inevitability. The singer feels resigned to his fate as a "dead man walking." The line "it takes time to change" suggests that the singer is aware of the need for a change in his life, but cannot seem to make the necessary shifts.
The second verse furthers the imagery of the singer being trapped in a cycle, unable to escape the addiction that holds him captive. "Climbing up your walls, digging in your holes" suggests desperation and a sense of being stuck. The line "I'm not your acrobat" implies that the singer cannot keep juggling and performing, that the pressures of the addiction require more than he can give. The chorus repeats again, perhaps to emphasize the cyclical nature of addiction and the seemingly unmovable fate of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up in my head
Starting to think and take stock of my life
Good times never end
Feeling optimistic and hopeful about the future
With bad back to bend
Despite the challenges and obstacles I face
Close my eyes just in time
Avoiding a potential problem or issue
Hands that I won't shake
Refusing to associate with people who have different values or beliefs
Bones that I can't break
Feeling strong and unbreakable
It takes time to change
True transformation and growth can be a slow process
Fall in line, one more time
Conforming to societal expectations despite personal reservations
Louise, it's me
Addressing someone who knows me well
I'm a dead man walking down your street
Feeling lifeless and aimless in my current state
Climbing up your walls (I'm not your acrobat)
Trying to overcome barriers and difficulties that are not mine to deal with
Diggin' in your holes (I'm not your sewer rat)
Refusing to engage in activities that are beneath me or go against my values
Falling down your stairs
Experiencing a setback or failure
Pull my light one more time
Trying to find a way out or a new perspective
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CHRIS CHANEY, GANNIN DUANE ARNOLD, TAYLOR HAWKINS, THOMAS ANDREW HESTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Deathless Dogs
This is one of those choruses that has popped into my head at random times through the years since it was released. Thank you for everything Taylor.
ELX
YES!!!! Same here
Jonathan Wareham
This chorus is absolutely epic
Amphletize
Literally why I'm here 😄
John Bis
You're so right.
Nick S
I worked on this video as a camera assistant. We got done shooting the Christmas tree set and I went back to grab something I left behind. Only person in this room was Taylor trying to rip on this toddler size drum set. He didn’t even notice me cause he was hunched over trying to do a Dale Grover style drum roll. I immediately thought two things: 1) This guy definitely has ADHD. 2) This guy’s purpose was to play the drums and music. It was a pleasure to meet you Taylor.
deejaymalta
insanely sad. I wish we all got to witness him in real life.
MajorCanada
Cute to see his wife played the fully grown "Louise". RIP Taylor.
🎮 A Game Enthusiast 🕹️
@MajorCanada I knew that was his wife in that video.
Stephanie Papaleo
Thank you for that story, it’ll be stuck in my head like this cool song, I always picture Taylor doing stuff like that, intense and unfazed at how great a talent he was. That whole vibe of the song is perfect with the “home movies/nostalgia/Christmas tree scene and it perfectly captured Taylor’s innocence and pure emotion. To hear that he went back to those drums really reinforces the dedication he had to his craft.
This sucks to not have him be such a positive force in our world. I’m sure he knows how much he’s loved by all of us fans, I hope so. 💔