This is not correct writing for Gene's going solo.
Elevator Operator
Gene Clark; Gosdin Brothers Lyrics
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She got so high so very fast it took her all day to come down
I'm gonna put you straight to her right now
She's very busy but I'll explain somehow
Elevator operator, elevator operator
She was one of the girls that you make feel
That you were up to stay
She took you down all the way
I'm gonna put you straight to her right now
I'm gonna have to get along without her now
The song "Elevator Operator" by Gene Clark & The Gosdin Brothers is a poignant and melancholic reflection on the fleeting nature of love, as well as the ups and downs of life. The elevator operator is a metaphor for a woman who is mercurial and unpredictable, just like the ups and downs of an elevator. She represents the highs and lows of life, and the painful reality that what goes up must eventually come down.
The opening lines describe the woman in question as a rollercoaster of emotions, constantly fluctuating between soaring highs and crushing lows. The singer describes her as getting "so high so very fast," but then taking "all day to come down." This is a clear reference to the emotional rollercoaster that the singer experiences with this woman. Despite this, the singer is still drawn to her, and it seems as though they have had some sort of romantic connection in the past. They are no longer together, however, and the singer laments the fact that he has to "get along without her now."
Line by Line Meaning
She was an elevator operator she had her ups and downs
The woman was a literal elevator operator whose job involved physically moving up and down; the phrase 'ups and downs' refers to her emotional and mental state as well.
She got so high so very fast it took her all day to come down
The woman would experience highs and lows, but her highs were particularly intense and took a long time to recover from.
I'm gonna put you straight to her right now
The singer will introduce the listener to the elevator operator shortly.
She's very busy but I'll explain somehow
Although the elevator operator is very busy with her job, the artist will try to find a way to explain her situation.
Elevator operator, elevator operator
The repeated phrase is a callout to the elevator operator.
She was one of the girls that you make feel
The woman was one of many girls that the singer made feel special.
That you were up to stay
The singer would lead the girls to believe that he would always stay with them.
But when you began to think it was real
When the girls began to get attached and believe the artist's promises, things would start to sour.
She took you down all the way
The elevator operator (and other girls like her) would bring the artist down emotionally and mentally.
I'm gonna have to get along without her now
The artist has to move on from the elevator operator and the other girls who brought him down.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL RINEHART, GENE CLARK, JOEL LARSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind