Borderline
Jimenez Flaco Lyrics
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Every street is paved with gold
And it's just across the borderline
And when it's time to take your turn
There's a lesson that you must learn
You may lose more than you'll ever hope to find.
And when you reach that broken promised land
You have learned it's too late to change your mind
Cause you pay the price to come so far
Just to wind up where you are
And you're still just across the borderline.
Up and down the rio grande
A thousand foot prints in the sand
Reveal a secret no one can define
The river rolls on like a breath
In between our life and death
Tell me who is next to cross that borderline.
And when you reach that broken promised land
And all your dreams slip though your hand
You'll know it's too late to change your mind
Cause you pay the price to come so far
Just to wind up where you are
And you're still just across the borderline.
In Jimenez Flaco's song Borderline, the lyrics tell the story of a person who seeks a better life, believing that there is a place where every street is paved with gold just across the borderline. The song's protagonist is aware that to get to this place, there is a price that has to be paid. And once you're on this path, there's a lesson that you must learn that you may lose more than you'll ever hope to find. The song conveys the message that the journey to seeking a better life is fraught with risks, but it's a journey that people still take, even knowing the cost.
The second part of the song turns to the Rio Grande river where a thousand footprints in the sand reveal a secret that no one can define. This reference to the river running between life and death adds to the song's sense of foreboding. The song then asks, "Tell me who is next to cross that borderline," implying that many seek a better life, but few make it across. While the song's lyrics are contemplative and a little sad, it leaves the listener with the sense that the journey to seeking a better life is still worth it, despite its costs.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a place, so I've been told,
The singer has heard of a place.
Every street is paved with gold
This place is perfect and full of wealth.
And it's just across the borderline
This place is on the other side of a border.
And when it's time to take your turn
When it's your chance to go there.
There's a lesson that you must learn
You have to learn something before you can go.
You may lose more than you'll ever hope to find.
You may not get what you want.
And when you reach that broken promised land
When you finally get to that place.
And all your dreams slip though your hand
And your dreams disappear.
You have learned it's too late to change your mind
You can't change your decision now.
Cause you pay the price to come so far
Because you went through so much to get there.
Just to wind up where you are
But you're not any better off.
And you're still just across the borderline.
And you're still not in that perfect place.
Up and down the rio grande
Along the river Rio Grande.
A thousand foot prints in the sand
There are many footprints on the sand.
Reveal a secret no one can define
They reveal a mystery that cannot be explained.
The river rolls on like a breath
The river flows continuously like breathing.
In between our life and death
Signifying the flow of time between life and death.
Tell me who is next to cross that borderline.
Wondering who will be the next to cross the border.
And when you reach that broken promised land
When you finally get to that place.
And all your dreams slip though your hand
And your dreams disappear.
You'll know it's too late to change your mind
You will understand that it's too late to change your decision.
Cause you pay the price to come so far
Because you went through so much to get there.
Just to wind up where you are
But you're not any better off.
And you're still just across the borderline.
And you're still not in that perfect place.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Luther Dickinson, John Robert Hiatt, Ryland Peter Cooder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind