The band's first incarnation was formed by three former members of the power pop group Yachts: Campbell, keyboardist Henry Priestman and guitarist Martin Dempsey, along with drummer Paul Barlow. By 1984, Whitehead had joined and the band had been reduced to the duo of him and Campbell. Priestman later became a producer and keyboardist for the band The Christians, but performed on "Driving Away from Home" as a session musician.
Driving Away from Home
It's Immaterial Lyrics
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Outside no one would know
Danger close to edge of the knife
Safer not to let go
And while we miss chances
You can almost hear time slipping away
We close our eyes we never lose a game
We close our eyes to see the final frame
We close our eyes to time slipping away
No show Wednesday girl waits with the wine
She knows just what to say
While no one listens
You can almost hear time slipping away
We close our eyes we never lose a game
Imagination never lets us take the blame
We close our eyes to see the final frame
We close our eyes and
We can talk to strangers
We are burning with the spark
And we can walk on water
We are tigers in the dark
We are burning
We close our eyes
Heroes never give into the night
He knows how far he can run
And as he surrenders
You can almost hear time slipping away
We close our eyes we never lose a game
Imagination never lets us take the blame
We close our eyes to see the final frame
We close our eyes
"It's Immaterial" famously sung by British band It's Immaterial describes the dilemma of living life with one's hidden desires and unfulfilled dreams. The song speaks of how one's true desires are hidden behind the façade of everyday life. While outside, everyone seems content and controlled, inside, a burning desire urges, begging to be set free. The lyrics explain that it's much easier to stay safe and hold on to one's dreams than to take a chance and to reach for them. The danger, anxiety, and fear of the unknown can hold us back, but ultimately, time is still passing, opportunities are missed, and one's dreams will keep slipping away.
The "Driving Away From Home" could represent running away from one's situation, where the individual may feel trapped and need to escape to find freedom. The lyrics could suggest that people are afraid to face the truth or take risks, so they hide their true feelings behind their closet's doors. When people do take chances, they can be afraid of the consequences or to take the blame, and these fears prevent the fulfillment of their deepest wishes. Nevertheless, they can continue to imagine the possibilities and dance in the fantasy of what could be, pretending that they are not losing anything. In the end, the missed chances remain, regrets begin to creep in, and the knowledge that time is slipping away becomes undeniable.
Line by Line Meaning
Inside everyone hides one desire
Each person has a hidden desire that they keep inside themselves
Outside no one would know
No one else is aware of this desire
Danger close to edge of the knife
There is a sense of danger and risk involved in pursuing this desire
Safer not to let go
It may be safer to suppress or ignore this desire rather than taking the risk of pursuing it
And while we miss chances
Despite opportunities to pursue our desires, we often miss them
You can almost hear time slipping away
There is a feeling of time passing and opportunities slipping away
We close our eyes we never lose a game
We imagine scenarios where we always win, never losing
Imagination never lets us take the blame
When we play out these scenarios in our minds, we always imagine ourselves in a positive light
We close our eyes to see the final frame
We try to envision the end result of our desires coming true
No show Wednesday girl waits with the wine
A woman who has been stood up on a Wednesday night waits with a bottle of wine
She knows just what to say
She has prepared herself with words to say to her absent suitor
While no one listens
Despite her preparation, no one is there to hear her words
We can talk to strangers
We may be more open with strangers about our desires
We are burning with the spark
Our desires burn within us, like a spark waiting to ignite a flame
And we can walk on water
We may feel invincible, like we can do the impossible
We are tigers in the dark
We are fierce and fearless when it comes to pursuing our desires
Heroes never give into the night
Those who are heroic do not give up or give in to their fears and doubts
He knows how far he can run
He is aware of his own limits and capabilities
And as he surrenders
Despite this awareness, he may still give in and surrender to his fears
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: John Campbell, John Whitehead
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrSirDrew
Lyrics
Hey,
Now just get in
And close the door
And put your foot down
You know, I like this suburb we're going through
And I've been around here many times before
When I was young we were gonna move out this way
For the clean air, healthy, you know
Away from the factories and the smoke
I like that shop, too
You can get anything there
So just get in
And we'll go for a ride
'Cos we'll go driving away from home
Thirty miles or more
And we'll go moving away from home
Without a care
I'll tell you what
Why don't we cross the city limit
And head on down the M62
It's only thirty nine miles
And forty five minutes to Manchester
And that's my birth-place, you know
Driving away from home
Thirty miles or more
And we'll go moving away from home
Without a care in the world
Driving away from home
Thirty miles or more
Yes, we'll go moving away from home
Without a care
Some of my friends live up North, too
If you like a longer trip
All you've got to do is put your foot hard down to the floor
And we can call on people I know in Newcastle
Or maybe even Glasgow
There's a lot of nice places to see out there
So just don't worry
Moving away from home
Without a care in the world
Driving away from home
Thirty miles or more
Yes, we'll go moving away from home
Without a care in the world
Move-em on, move-em out, move-em up
King of the road, knight of the road
It's all the same to me
I mean, after all
It's just a road
Driving away from home
Drivin'...
Driving away from home
Drivin'...
Driving away from home
Drivin'...
@teammeteamus.8315
I listened to this tune on repeat as a teenager, years before I ran away from home to escape violence and abuse. 30 years later and this tune still means a lot to me. It gave me hope that I could get away, even if it was only with the clothes on my back.
@rjjcms1
Hope your life's good now.
@matthewcarey9627
Well done you.
@teammeteamus.8315
@@rjjcms1 Things are rough, but it’s nothing compared to what I had to live through with my old family.
@lightblue254
You legend, rock on, stay focused, you've made the right choice :) <3
@lightblue254
How are you set up right now?
@kevinwhelan9607
God, but I have such warm memories of listening to this song on my transistor radio while working as a parking-lot attendant in Market Street in Galway in late March early April 1986, my then girlfriend, the love of my life--so kind, so beautiful--mouthing the lyrics. Such a perfect and loving time--and this beautiful song complemented the period perfectly. Thank you, It's Immaterial. Oh to be twenty-two again.
@drdeeemtee3720
kicked out of house aged 16,and this was on the radio whilst I was driving away from home!. This is one of those 80's songs that has always lingered in the back of my mind, strange ,haunting, tunes that can lyrically touch you , and drag you back to a place in the past. Nigtmares by a Flock of Seagulls is another...
@hooly67
Wonderful 80 s life was easier and....cheaper....we can still had dreams....
@neillewis8704
franco bernasconi meaningful life was.