Escape Is So Simple
Cowboy Junkies Lyrics


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The way you kissed me this morning
It told me that you soon would be going
You didn't even look in my eyes
When you said goodbye

And last night in your sleep you broke all the promises
That I knew you would never keep
Now I'm reading the letter which you placed on the dresser
And you're five hundred miles down the road

Escape is so simple
In a world where sunsets can be raced
But distance only looses the knife
The pattern of its scar
Can always be traced

Yeah, I remember when we said 'forever'
Was the craziest word that we knew
But I think that I like it much better than I do 'goodbye'

And I could sit here all evening and think of the reasons
Why you are not by my side
Instead I'll go to the kitchen, find a strong chair to sit in
And drink myself far, far away

Escape is so simple
In a world where sunsets can be raced
But distance only looses the knife




The pattern of its scar
Can always be traced

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cowboy Junkies’ “Escape Is So Simple” discuss the pain and grief of losing someone. The song depicts a situation in which the singer’s lover is leaving her, having already revealed their intentions through their affectionless parting kiss. The events imply that the singer may have been going through a long-distance relationship as the lover is already down the road by five hundred miles. As she reads a letter left on the dresser, she contemplates why the person she loved is not with her, but instead of dwelling on the reasons for the absence, she decides to disassociate through drinking heavily.


The singer provides an insightful contemplation of distance and the heartache it brings, stressing that although you may run away from a problem, its scars remain. “The pattern of its scar can always be traced” refers to the enduring pain and heartbreak that ensue after a lover has gone, even after the distance has obscured the details. The song’s title “Escape Is So Simple” serves to underscore the singer’s sarcastic belief that one can escape or run away from the pain that distance brings but the truth is that it is a temporary fix that leaves permanent marks.


Line by Line Meaning

The way you kissed me this morning
The kiss I received from you this morning made it clear to me that you would be leaving soon.


It told me that you soon would be going
The way you kissed me indicated that you would be leaving soon.


You didn't even look in my eyes
You didn't look into my eyes when you said goodbye.


When you said goodbye
You said goodbye without making eye contact with me.


And last night in your sleep you broke all the promises
While you were asleep last night, you broke all the promises that I knew you would never keep.


That I knew you would never keep
I was aware that you would never keep those promises.


Now I'm reading the letter which you placed on the dresser
I am currently reading the letter that you left on the dresser.


And you're five hundred miles down the road
You are already five hundred miles away from here.


Escape is so simple
It is easy to escape.


In a world where sunsets can be raced
In a world where one can chase after sunsets.


But distance only looses the knife
Being far away only dulls the pain.


The pattern of its scar
The pattern of pain is always evident.


Can always be traced
It can always be found.


Yeah I remember when we said 'forever'
I remember when we used to say that we would be together forever.


Was the craziest word that we knew
We thought 'forever' was the most unbelievable word we could say.


But I think that I like it much better than I do 'goodbye'
I prefer 'forever' to 'goodbye'.


And I could sit here all evening and think of the reasons
I could spend all evening thinking about the reasons why you're not with me.


Why you are not by my side
I cannot understand why you are not with me at this moment.


Instead I'll go to the kitchen, find a strong chair to sit in
Instead of thinking about it, I will go to the kitchen and sit in a sturdy chair.


And drink myself far far away
I will drink myself into an unconscious state, away from reality.




Lyrics © PAZ JUNK MUSIC INC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MICHAEL EDWARD TIMMINS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Souilek Wissal

What a beautiful song❤

JUAN CARLOS L. P.

Marvellous hasta decir basta!!!!!!!!!

Klaus Boesser

Just great, thank you …

Fernando Canelas

👍💚🇵🇹

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