Noir Excursion
Gotye Lyrics


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A handsome stranger
Gave me a ride
He had a suitcase full of lies
That he sold me

I sensed no danger
When I was there right by his side
He said I compelled him to confide
So he told me

Take this car
And drive downstate
Then take off the licence plates
And wait for me

I could have argued
But he said for my trouble I could keep
Half the money in the bag on the back seat
At least, that's what he told me

And he said he thought I looked trustworthy
And I must admit that the thrill of it all got the better of me
So I drove down the highway with great speed
Until they resounded behind me

Sirens! The police

They pull me over to the side of the road
And tell me that the car was stolen, that's why I was followed
I try to tell them I was only doing what I was told
But no, they won't listen to me

They cuff my hands and say
'Now girl, the money, where did you hide it?'
Then I know without even checking the bag
That there's no money inside it
But when they read my rights
I know that it's no use
Saying, 'I'm not lying'
No, please let me go
Please listen to me
I am not guilty
A handsome stranger tricked me
Why did he have to hand-pick me?

He told me to take this car
And drive downstate
Then to take off the licence plates
And wait there for him

But of course they don't believe me
So from there they drive me back to the station
And after I've been booked they began a three-day interrogation
I barely ate, I only slept an hour
But somehow I stayed patient and calm
They did me no harm

But the bag was the key to this mystery
He bought it the very same day that he
Robbed that bank upstate and then picked me
To be his fall guy patsy

Five years later
When I'd almost forgotten that nightmarish day
I was struck by the handsome features of a stranger across the way
As he got out of a car, with a girl behind the wheel, and I heard him say

Take this car
And drive downstate




Then take off the licence plates
And wait for me

Overall Meaning

The song "Noir Excursion" by Gotye tells the story of a young woman who is tricked by a handsome stranger into becoming an accomplice to a crime. The stranger gives her a ride and asks her to drive a stolen car downstate and take off the license plates. He promises her half the money in a bag on the back seat, and she agrees. However, she is stopped by the police and arrested for stealing the car and robbing a bank. She is interrogated for three days and realizes that the stranger had used her as a "fall guy" to take the blame for the crime. Five years later, she sees the stranger again with another woman, giving the same instructions he gave her years ago.


The lyrics are a commentary on the power dynamics between men and women and how women are often seen as vulnerable and easy targets. The woman in the song is deceived by the stranger's charm and good looks, and he takes advantage of her naivety and willingness to trust him. The lyrics also touch on themes of crime and punishment, justice and injustice, and the long-term effects of being a victim of a crime.


Overall, the lyrics of "Noir Excursion" are well-crafted and thought-provoking. The narrative structure keeps the listener engaged while the deeper themes provide much to reflect on.


Line by Line Meaning

A handsome stranger
The singer encountered a good-looking stranger


Gave me a ride
The stranger offered a ride to the singer


He had a suitcase full of lies
The stranger was not truthful and had deceitful intentions


That he sold me
The stranger convinced the artist to believe him


I sensed no danger
The artist did not feel unsafe around the stranger


When I was there right by his side
The singer was physically close to the stranger


He said I compelled him to confide
The stranger felt the need to share personal information with the singer


So he told me
The stranger disclosed information to the artist


Take this car
The stranger instructed the artist to take the vehicle


And drive downstate
The stranger directed the artist to travel to a specific location


Then take off the licence plates
The stranger told the singer to remove the vehicle registration plates


And wait for me
The stranger asked the artist to stay and wait for him


I could have argued
The singer had a chance to dispute the stranger's instructions


But he said for my trouble I could keep
The stranger offered the singer some incentive to follow his instructions


Half the money in the bag on the back seat
The stranger claimed there was some cash in the bag that the singer could take half of


At least, that's what he told me
The artist was unsure if the stranger was telling the truth


And he said he thought I looked trustworthy
The stranger claimed he could trust the artist


And I must admit that the thrill of it all got the better of me
The singer gave in to the excitement and temptation of the situation


So I drove down the highway with great speed
The singer drove quickly on the road


Until they resounded behind me
The police used sirens to alert the artist


Sirens! The police
The artist heard sirens indicating the arrival of law enforcement


They pull me over to the side of the road
The police stopped the artist's vehicle


And tell me that the car was stolen, that's why I was followed
The police informed the singer that the car was stolen


I try to tell them I was only doing what I was told
The artist protested that she was only following instructions


But no, they won't listen to me
The police were not willing to believe the singer's story


They cuff my hands and say
The police restrained the singer with handcuffs


'Now girl, the money, where did you hide it?'
The police demanded to know where the money was hidden


Then I know without even checking the bag
The artist realized the bag did not contain any money


That there's no money inside it
The artist confirmed that there was no cash in the bag


But when they read my rights
The police informed the singer of her legal rights


I know that it's no use
The singer understood that her situation was hopeless


Saying, 'I'm not lying'
The artist insisted that she was telling the truth


No, please let me go
The artist begged to be released


Please listen to me
The artist implored the police to believe her


I am not guilty
The singer proclaimed her innocence


A handsome stranger tricked me
The artist claimed that the stranger deceived her


Why did he have to hand-pick me?
The singer wondered why the stranger chose her


But of course they don't believe me
The police did not believe the singer


So from there they drive me back to the station
The police took the singer to the police station


And after I've been booked they began a three-day interrogation
The police questioned the artist for three days after arresting her


I barely ate, I only slept an hour
The artist had very little food and sleep while in police custody


But somehow I stayed patient and calm
The singer managed to remain composed despite the stressful situation


They did me no harm
The police did not physically harm the singer


But the bag was the key to this mystery
The bag played a critical role in solving the crime


He bought it the very same day that he
The stranger purchased the bag on the same day he committed the crime


Robbed that bank upstate and then picked me
The stranger robbed a bank and then chose the artist as his target


To be his fall guy patsy
The stranger used the singer as a scapegoat


Five years later
Five years passed


When I'd almost forgotten that nightmarish day
The singer almost forgot about the traumatic experience


I was struck by the handsome features of a stranger across the way
The singer noticed a good-looking stranger nearby


As he got out of a car, with a girl behind the wheel, and I heard him say
The stranger and a woman exited a car, and the singer overheard him speaking


Take this car
The stranger instructed someone to take the same car as before


And drive downstate
The stranger directed the person to travel to a specific location


Then take off the licence plates
The stranger told the person to remove the vehicle registration plates


And wait for me
The stranger asked the person to stay and wait for him




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Walter Andre De Backer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Ray's Astrophotography

Mysterious!!