Song for Kelly Huckaby
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics


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Photographs of the best time you had,
Windows smudged by the speed.
Leaving home with our bags from Iron Street,
As morning turned into California,
And smoke trailed from the butt of my cigarette.
Our glass house it threw rocks at all those it past.

Waking up to the sound of 5 A.M. to take my turn at the wheel.
Climbed up Shasta, oh how the engine ached
As the sun tortured California,
And old alleys turned deep at the heart of me.
Murals of heroes defacing the blank concrete.

Vision tunneled, Mission Street, hunger beat
Lodged out as the engine wheezed.
Still moving regardless of stable ground
And this stable ground.

Photographs of the best time you had,
Windows smudged by the speed.




Leaving home with our bags from Iron street
As morning turned into California.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Death Cab for Cutie's Song for Kelly Huckaby paints a vivid picture of a road trip taken with a loved one. The singer recalls the moments where they left their home on Iron Street with their bags, and drove as morning turned into California. The memories of the trip are vividly described in some lines such as "Photographs of the best time you had" which suggests the singer may be holding onto a photograph album, and he pictures the best moments of the journey.


The lyrics also describe the physical experiences of the trip - the smudged windows from the speed of the car and the smoke trailing from the cigarette. A sense of freedom is conveyed through the description of vision tunneled, hunger beat, and still moving regardless of stable ground. It appears as though the singer may have been searching for something on the trip, as he describes how old alleys turned deep at the heart of him, and murals of heroes defacing the blank concrete. Overall, the song seems to be about the transient nature of experience and the memories we hold onto from our journeys.


Line by Line Meaning

Photographs of the best time you had,
Memories captured on camera of the happiest times you experienced,


Windows smudged by the speed.
Markings left on the windows due to the velocity with which we were driving.


Leaving home with our bags from Iron Street,
Departing from our residence on Iron Street with our luggage in tow.


As morning turned into California,
Watching the sunrise as we entered the state of California.


And smoke trailed from the butt of my cigarette.
Smoke lingering behind my cigarette as I exhaled.


Our glass house it threw rocks at all those it past.
Our fragile existence caused harm to anyone or anything that crossed our path.


Waking up to the sound of 5 A.M. to take my turn at the wheel.
Rousing from sleep to the noise of the clock striking five and preparing to drive.


Climbed up Shasta, oh how the engine ached
Going up Mount Shasta while straining the engine of the vehicle we were driving.


As the sun tortured California,
The scorching sun beating down on California causing discomfort.


And old alleys turned deep at the heart of me.
The nostalgia triggered by passing through old back streets deeply affected me.


Murals of heroes defacing the blank concrete.
Paintings of heroic figures adorning the plain concrete walls were a defacement.


Vision tunneled, Mission Street, hunger beat
Having tunnel vision while traversing Mission Street and battling hunger pangs.


Lodged out as the engine wheezed.
Feeling tired and drained as the engine of the vehicle struggled to perform.


Still moving regardless of stable ground
Pressing ahead even in the absence of a stable foundation.


And this stable ground.
But there is the hope of finding a firm footing.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BENJAMIN GIBBARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Frank


on I Will Follow You Into The Dark

This song sucks