Road to Nowhere
David Byrne; St. Vincent Lyrics
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But we don't know where we've been
And we know what we're knowin'
But we can't say what we've seen
And we're not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is certain
Give us time to work it out
We're on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin' that ride to nowhere
We'll take that ride
I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
And you know,
We're on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
Maybe you wonder where you are
I don't care
Here is where time is on our side
Take you there, take you there
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
There's a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
And it's very far away
But it's growing day by day
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
They can tell you what to do
But they'll make a fool of you
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
We're on a road to nowhere
David Byrne's Road To Nowhere is a song about feeling lost or directionless in life. The song's opening lines describe a sense of purposelessness, a feeling of moving forward without a sense of where one has been or where one is going. The singer notes that they know what they want, and that the future is certain, but they cannot express what they have seen or truly understand where they are headed. Despite this sense of uncertainty, however, there is a sense of optimism and adventure in the song's chorus. The singer invites the listener to come along on a journey, to take a ride to nowhere with them. The repeated refrain of "we're on a road to nowhere" suggests that this journey is not about arriving at any specific destination, but about the experience of the journey itself.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more confident and assertive. They sing about feeling okay this morning, and describe the journey as a road to paradise. The line "maybe you wonder where you are, I don't care" suggests that the singer is not concerned with the typical markers of success or progress, but is content to simply be on the journey. There is also a sense of rebellion in the song's later verses, with the singer warning against those who would try to control or limit us. The song ends with a repeated plea: "we're on a road to nowhere", as if to reinforce the idea that the journey itself is what is important.
Line by Line Meaning
Well we know where we're goin'
We have a destination in mind.
But we don't know where we've been
We don't understand our past.
And we know what we're knowin'
We have knowledge and understanding.
But we can't say what we've seen
We lack the ability to convey our experiences.
And we're not little children
We are mature individuals.
And we know what we want
We have clear goals and desires.
And the future is certain
We are confident about what is to come.
Give us time to work it out
We need time to figure things out.
We're on a road to nowhere
We're headed towards an uncertain future.
Come on inside
Join us on this journey.
Takin' that ride to nowhere
We're going on a journey towards an unknown destination.
We'll take that ride
We're committed to the journey.
I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
I'm feeling fine right now.
And you know,
You're aware of this too.
We're on the road to paradise
We're hoping to end up in a better place.
Here we go, here we go
Let's get started on this journey.
Maybe you wonder where you are
You may be unsure of your current location.
I don't care
It doesn't matter to me.
Here is where time is on our side
We have enough time to reach our destination.
Take you there, take you there
We'll help you get there too.
There's a city in my mind
I have a dream in my head.
Come along and take that ride
Join me on my journey towards my dream.
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
Everything will be fine.
And it's very far away
My dream seems far and unreachable.
But it's growing day by day
But it's becoming more realistic as time passes.
They can tell you what to do
Others may try to control your life.
But they'll make a fool of you
But their advice may not be wise or practical.
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
Despite this, everything will be okay.
We're on a road to nowhere
Our journey towards the future is uncertain.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chris Frantz, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chaosmos24
David Byrne has to be the coolest guy alive now that Bowie has passed.
@tonydarmand
chaosmos24 David’s cooler anyhow
@samruddick1024
Tony D don’t be silly
@Pinerocks
Funny...was thinking the same just before I read this!!
@ricardorame
Iggy?
@happyfamilytime8463
Funny, I was just thinking this
@johnvoyce
He does everything. Look at the choreography - they all walk around aimlessly on the road to nowhere. Absolute genius, and fantastic harmonies.
@NOWtheband
It's very 70's Sun Ra choreography. :-)
@danielbrosky
How I wish I had been in this audience!!! This and the film, "Stop Making Sense" are MUST see performances for everyone. Just great, fun and superbly COOL!
@mirstage
Brilliant! Give a mad genius a brass band and you get this. There is no bad version of this song.