His mother played songs by Frank Sinatra to him as a child, and he later became a fan of Motown and other R&B/soul music. He took piano lessons as a child, but he did not like them. He would skip the lessons and ride his bicycle across the bridge from his grandfather's farm over to the heart of the black "Chicken Hill" ghetto, where he could just listen and absorb the music.
In the 1960s, Hall attended Temple University, but did not graduate, preferring instead to spend his time singing on the street corners and play with various musicians and groups. At that time, Daryl Hohl (as he was called then) sang backup for different bands. He eventually changed his last name to Hall. Daryl Hall idolized the Temptations and began to perform session work as a singer. He first met John Oates at a band competition.
After John transferred to a different school, Daryl joined the band Gulliver, which released one eponymous album in 1969 before being dropped from their label.
Daryl is the host of the wildly popular online show entitled "Live From Daryl's House", where Daryl and the band collaborate with artists from various musical genres on the 15th of each month. The first episode aired in 2007, and it's still going strong. Best of all, it's free to watch.
Cab Driver
Daryl Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cab comes into view
Ask me where am I goin' to
Running for so long
Been gone too many nights
And my heart has paid the price
This ain't heaven
My reason for living
Isn't here inside this car
Girl I gotta get back to you
[Chorus]
Cab driver
Take me home
Spent too much time away
Too much time alone
Cab driver
Take me home
Spent too much time away from my baby
I need familiar streets
To show that you're near
Feeling like a stranger here
Oh does the mirror show the miles on my face
Am I goin' any place?
This ain't heaven
This ain't the life I was hopin' for
My reason for living
Sure ain't here inside this car
You know I've gotta get back to you
[Chorus]
I need to see the look on your face
A kiss from your lips ... oh the taste baby
Nothing waiting for me but a lonely room
I've gotta get back to you baby - soon
[Chorus]
The song "Cab Driver" by Daryl Hall tells the story of a man who has been away from his loved one for too long. He is standing in the rain when he sees a cab, and he hops into it. The cab driver asks him where he wants to go, and the man replies that he wants to go home. He has been running for so long and his heart has paid the price for being away from his loved one. He knows that this life he’s living isn't what he hoped for, and he longs to go back to the one he loves. He needs the streets he knows so well to show him that she's near.
The man feels like a stranger where he is, and he wonders if the miles he has traveled are showing on his face. He knows that his reason for living isn't in the car he is in; it is with the one he loves. He needs to see her face and feel her kiss, and he can't wait to be back with her.
In the end, the man is driven home, and he is finally reunited with the one he loves. The song "Cab Driver" is a beautiful love song that captures the longing and desire to be with the person you love. It showcases how distance can make your heart grow fonder, and it reminds us that home is where the heart is.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing in the rain
The singer is standing in the rain at the side of the road.
Cab comes into view
A taxi comes into view, giving the impression that the singer can continue his journey.
Ask me where am I goin' to
The taxi driver questions him about his destination.
Running for so long
The singer has been running and travelling for too long and has lost his direction.
Been gone too many nights
He has spent many nights away from home.
And my heart has paid the price
Being away from his loved ones has taken a toll on his heart.
This ain't heaven
The current situation is far from ideal.
This ain't the life bargained for
This situation is not what the singer had hoped for.
My reason for living
The singer's purpose in life isn't in the taxi he's riding in.
Isn't here inside this car
The singer's reason for living isn't present inside the taxi.
Girl I gotta get back to you
The singer is anxious to return to the woman he loves.
[Chorus] Cab driver Take me home Spent too much time away Too much time alone Cab driver Take me home Spent too much time away from my baby
The chorus repeats the request to the cab driver to take the singer home, highlighting the fact that he has spent too much time away from his partner and is desperate to return to her.
I need familiar streets
The singer requires some familiarity to feel at ease.
To show that you're near
By being near his loved ones where he can identify with familiar streets, the singer believes he can sense the presence of his partner.
Feeling like a stranger here
The singer feels unfamiliar and out of place.
Oh does the mirror show the miles on my face
The singer notices that the journey has left a visible toll on his appearance.
Am I goin' any place?
The artist questions whether his continuous journey is leading him anywhere at all.
Sure ain't here inside this car
The car cannot provide the singer with his purpose in life.
You know I've gotta get back to you
The singer reinforces his feeling of urgency to be with his loved ones.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats the same sentiment as before, urging the cab driver to take the singer home to his loved one.
I need to see the look on your face
The singer requires the physical presence of his loved one to sense her emotions.
A kiss from your lips ... oh the taste baby
The singer desires the physical and emotional connection of a kiss from his loved one.
Nothing waiting for me but a lonely room
The singer foresees a bleak future for himself without his loved ones.
I've gotta get back to you baby - soon
The artist reiterates his intense desire to return home and reunite with his loved ones.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats a final time, as the singer's desire to return home remains paramount.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN EDWARD GORRIE, LOUIS BROWN, DARYL HALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@savinskiclaude4518
Who's still listening to this? Such a great song.
@ne47
The ONLY people listening to THIS music- type are "before the reign of Gangsta' RAP" and the END of "American POP" ! . . just look at BTS ; they ARE clearly TRANS-chemical GENDERS, spinning and dancing like a GROUP taught by some offshoots of the O'Jays, the Temptations or the Jacksons !
Let's face it; REAL music is almost over ! . . .
@ShannonEldred1231
I love the song sence I was a little girl now I'm 51 and still love it. It never gets old
@briangr1012
Me
@lawrencehenry1326
I'm 58 and just found this song . Now it's getting heavy rotation in my garage.
@gordonorante509
Kool!
@butchharlmon7970
Good music has no expiration date
@MrMaddox57
Amen. During this pandemic, it gives me hope also for the greater days to come! Love and grew up with this era of music. Can't wait for all the greatness to come back again! We will get there!
@agapechannel
Favorite Daryl Hall song🔥🔥
@debraderr6359
Most of Daryl's songs 🎵 stay with me for hours after listening. I find myself hearing his voice in my head and then I hum along with him. Such a gift 🎁 💕