Ready or Not
Evan & Jaron Lyrics
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No one I could be
Nobody there in the empty square
Soon to include me
So I borrowed myself a stolen van
And I got myself to where I am
I made my escape while no one watched
It was freedom that I wanted
Freedom that I got
Ready or not
It's another world that I find me in
I think someone stole the van
And the people here are like aliens
And I don't know what I am
And the pretty pretty girls I thought I could trust
Have taken everything but my bad luck
Now I'm not so bad and I'm not so hot
I said I don't care but I cared a lot
It was changes that I wanted
Changes that I got
Ready or not
Now I'm not so radical as I thought
I said I don't care but I cared a lot
It was freedom that I wanted
Freedom that I got
Ready or not
The song "Ready or Not" by Evan & Jaron tells the story of a person who feels stuck in their small town and yearns for something more - freedom. They decide to steal a van and escape their mundane life. They arrive in a new place and are overwhelmed by the new surroundings and the people who seem like "aliens" to them. They realize that the pretty girls they thought they could trust have taken everything they had except for their bad luck. After going through this experience, the person realizes that they are not so different from everyone else and that they actually care about what happens to them.
The song is a commentary on the human desire for freedom and the need to break out of the monotony of daily life. The singer takes a risk and steals a van to escape their life, which is something that many people can relate to. However, the song also references the idea that sometimes what we think we want is not always what we actually need. The singer discovers that freedom comes with its own set of challenges and that they are not immune to bad luck and difficult experiences. The song encourages listeners to take risks and seek change but to also be prepared for the consequences that come with those choices.
Line by Line Meaning
There was nothing down in my little town
My hometown was boring and had nothing going on.
No one I could be
I did not have any role models or mentors there.
Nobody there in the empty square
The public space was empty, as there were not many people around.
Soon to include me
I realized that I was going to become part of the emptiness and monotony of the town.
So I borrowed myself a stolen van
I stole a van to escape my boring hometown.
And I got myself to where I am
I drove myself to a new, unknown location.
It was freedom that I wanted
I desired to be free from the mundanity of my hometown.
Freedom that I got
I found the freedom I sought by embarking on this journey.
Ready or not
I was ready to face the challenges of the unknown world I had entered, even if I wasn't fully prepared for them.
It's another world that I find me in
The new environment I found myself in was completely different from what I was used to.
I think someone stole the van
I suspect that my van was stolen from me.
And the people here are like aliens
The people in this new place seemed strange and unfamiliar to me.
And I don't know what I am
I felt lost and unsure of who I was or who I wanted to be in this new environment.
And the pretty pretty girls I thought I could trust
I placed my trust in attractive women, but they ended up taking advantage of me.
Have taken everything but my bad luck
These women took everything from me except my misfortune and bad luck.
Now I'm not so bad and I'm not so hot
I am not as impressive or exceptional as I thought I was.
I said I don't care but I cared a lot
I pretended not to be affected by everything that happened to me, but I was deeply affected by it all.
It was changes that I wanted
I was seeking changes in my life and wanted to leave my old life behind.
Changes that I got
I did in fact experience many changes, and my life was vastly different from what it used to be.
Now I'm not so radical as I thought
I am less extreme or unorthodox than I thought I was.
It was freedom that I wanted
I still desired to be free from the constraints of society.
Freedom that I got
I continued to experience the freedom I had found earlier, as I was still able to live life on my own terms.
Ready or not
I was still ready to face the unknown and embrace whatever changes came my way.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EVAN LOWENSTEIN, DAN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind