Ol' 55
Eagles Lyrics
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I went lickety-splickly out to my old '55
As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy
God knows, I was feeling alive
And now the sun's coming up
I'm riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Lord, let me tell you that the feeling's getting stronger
Six in the morning, gave me no warning
I had to be on my way
Now the cars are all passing me
Trucks are all flashing me
I'm headed home from your place
And now the sun's coming up
I'm riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade
And I lead the parade
Just a-wishin' I'd stayed a little longer
Lord, don't you know, the feeling's getting stronger
Well, my time went so quickly
I went lickety-splitly
Out to my old '55
As I pulled away slowly
Feeling so holy
God knows I was feeling alive
And now the sun's coming up, yes it is
I'm riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Freeway, cars and trucks
Riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Riding with Lady Luck
The lyrics to "Ol' 55" by Eagles evoke a sense of nostalgia and the fleeting nature of time. The singer describes their experience driving their old car, a '55 Chevy, in the early hours of the morning. They are filled with a sense of freedom and excitement, relishing in the feeling of being alive. As they drive away from a moment and a person they clearly enjoyed being with but ultimately had to leave, they are filled with a sense of regret and longing, wishing they could have stayed a little longer.
The imagery in the lyrics help to amplify the sense of motion and the passage of time. The song's structure also reflects this, with the first verse describing the singer's feeling of freedom, the second verse describing their regret, and the final verse repeating the first verse but with the addition of the passage of time. The chorus reflects on this sense of movement, riding alongside "Lady Luck" and the cars and trucks on the freeway.
Overall, the lyrics portray the theme of life's transience, and the desire to hold onto moments that are filled with pure joy and excitement. The singer is able to briefly escape the stressors of life and, for a moment, live in the present and enjoy the sensations of freedom and movement.
Line by Line Meaning
Well my time went so quickly
I can't believe how time flies
I went lickety-splickly out to my old '55
I took off in my car and went speeding towards my destination
As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy
I felt a sense of inner peace as I started my journey
God knows, I was feeling alive
I felt fully present and alive in that moment
And now the sun's coming up
The new day is dawning
I'm riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks
I'm taking my chances, driving among other cars and trucks on the freeway
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
The night is ending and I'm at the front of the pack on the road
Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer
I'm regretting that I didn't stay longer at my original destination
Lord, let me tell you that the feeling's getting stronger
My sense of longing to have stayed is growing stronger
Six in the morning, gave me no warning
The early hour came quickly and unexpectedly
I had to be on my way
I had to leave and continue my journey
Now the cars are all passing me
Other cars are now speeding past me
Trucks are all flashing me
Truck drivers are signaling me to move out of their way
I'm headed home from your place
I'm driving back to my usual residence from my previous location
Lord, don't you know, the feeling's getting stronger
My sense of regret for leaving is intensifying
Well, my time went so quickly
Once again, time flew by quickly
I went lickety-splitly out to my old '55
I sped away in my car to my destination
As I pulled away slowly
As I reluctantly started my journey
Feeling so holy
Feeling a sense of peace and reverence
God knows I was feeling alive
Once again, feeling fully present and alive in the moment
And now the sun's coming up, yes it is
The new day has arrived once again
Riding with Lady Luck
Taking chances and hoping for good luck on the road
Freeway, cars and trucks
Driving on the busy freeway among other vehicles
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tom Waits
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind