2.Left Right In The Dark
Julian Casablancas Lyrics


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I'm runnin' in the parkin' lot, I'm four years old
I am lost, those were the days
The soft murmur of voices in the other room
Comforting you as you fall asleep
Starin' at the mother-daughter clones go by
We're in a race against time, and time might be winning

And it's not gonna take all day long
Watching the urban decay all around us, oh boy
And I'm on my way, oh, somewhere
Feels like I'm going left and right in the dark

How long must we wait?
How long must this stay?
Oh wake up, wake up, oh wake up, wake up
Oh wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up

I am ashamed I think maybe sometimes
I might've used tricks to make you like me more
When I found you I was running wild
Let's get out of here, was in trouble there

I wanna know
What are you thinking
'Cause I think
I think it too

Slidin' across the Indian wilderness
Like the wind gliding down soft roads
Six AM now you're in Hollywood
And you're dancin', we made it
We are turning back the Earth so fast
But it feels a lot slower

And it's not gonna take all day long
Watching the urban decay all around us, oh boy
And I'm on my way, oh, somewhere
Feels like I'm going left and right in the dark

How long will it take
To fix what they break?
Oh wake up, wake up, oh wake up, wake up
Oh wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up

Your Achilles heel is you like to feel
Your fingers on the wheel

Some live in a palace, some live in the sewers
The director, and the actor, and the crew, and the viewers
Boys get their toys and girls got their dolls
And nothing much else changes through the final stages
How you're spendin' the day is the same as your life
And you're watchin' the time running away

Oh wait up, wait up, oh wait up, wait up
Oh wait up, wait up, wait up, wait up




Wake up, wake up, oh wake up, wake up
Oh wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up

Overall Meaning

The song "Left Right In The Dark" by Julian Casablancas is a reflection on the passage of time and the inevitability of change. In the first verse, he reminisces about being lost at four years old in a parking lot, and how the soft murmur of voices in the room was comforting, indicating a nostalgic longing for simpler times. He also observes the mother-daughter clones pass by, highlighting how society often reinforces conformity and how we're all racing against time, a theme that is repeated throughout the song.


In the second verse, Casablancas expresses regret about possibly resorting to tricks to make someone like him more. He also acknowledges that he and his partner are sliding across the Indian wilderness like the wind, and that they've made it to Hollywood, but that time is running out. The chorus is a plea to wake up and take control of one's life before it's too late, asking how long it will take to fix what others have broken.


The song's overall melancholic tone and reflective nature is mirrored in its slow, atmospheric sound. Casablancas's use of vivid and poetic imagery paints a vivid picture of time's fleeting nature and the importance of living in the moment.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm runnin' in the parkin' lot, I'm four years old
I am reminiscing about my childhood when I used to run in the parking lot as a four-year-old.


I am lost, those were the days
I remember feeling lost in those days of my childhood.


The soft murmur of voices in the other room
I remember the comfort of hearing soft murmurs of other people's voices in a different room.


Comforting you as you fall asleep
These comforting sounds helped me to fall asleep easier.


Starin' at the mother-daughter clones go by
I noticed and observed the similarities between mothers and their daughters that passed by.


We're in a race against time, and time might be winning
I feel like we are always trying to beat time, but it often feels like we are losing the race.


And it's not gonna take all day long
I know that these struggles won't last all day long.


Watching the urban decay all around us, oh boy
I notice the gradual deterioration of the cities around us.


And I'm on my way, oh, somewhere
I am headed towards a new destination, but I don't know where yet.


Feels like I'm going left and right in the dark
I feel lost and unsure of where I am headed, like I am moving blindly in the dark.


How long must we wait?
I am becoming impatient and questioning how much longer we have to wait for change.


How long must this stay?
I am wondering how much longer this situation will remain the same.


Oh wake up, wake up, oh wake up, wake up
I am calling out for people to wake up and realize what is happening.


I am ashamed I think maybe sometimes
I feel guilty for possibly using deceptive tactics to make people like me more in the past.


I might've used tricks to make you like me more
I have used manipulative tactics to make people like me more.


When I found you I was running wild
I was in a crazy state of mind when I first met you.


Let's get out of here, was in trouble there
I wanted to escape the current situation, and it felt like I was in danger there.


I wanna know
I am curious and want to know more.


What are you thinking
I am wondering what is going through your mind.


'Cause I think
I have some thoughts and ideas of my own.


I think it too
I agree with your thoughts and ideas.


Slidin' across the Indian wilderness
I am describing the feeling of gracefully sliding across the Indian wilderness.


Like the wind gliding down soft roads
I am comparing the movement to the soft gliding of the wind down gentle roads.


Six AM now you're in Hollywood
It is six in the morning, and you are now in Hollywood.


And you're dancin', we made it
We have reached our destination, and you are celebrating by dancing.


We are turning back the Earth so fast
We are experiencing time moving so quickly that it feels like we are reversing the rotation of the Earth.


But it feels a lot slower
Despite the fast pace of life, time seems to be moving more slowly.


How long will it take
I am starting to question how long it will take to fix things.


To fix what they break?
I am wondering how long it will take to repair the damage done by others.


Your Achilles heel is you like to feel
I am addressing your weakness as being that you like to feel things intensely.


Your fingers on the wheel
This is the way in which you like to experience things.


Some live in a palace, some live in the sewers
People have vastly different living situations.


The director, and the actor, and the crew, and the viewers
In the realm of film, there are many different roles and people involved in the production and consumption of movies.


Boys get their toys and girls got their dolls
There are gendered expectations and roles that we often fall into.


And nothing much else changes through the final stages
Despite the progressing of life, some things seem to stay the same.


How you're spendin' the day is the same as your life
The way that you spend your days is indicative of how you spend your life as a whole.


And you're watchin' the time running away
We are all constantly aware of time passing and moving on.


Oh wait up, wait up, oh wait up, wait up
I am asking people to wait for me and not leave me behind.


Wake up, wake up, oh wake up, wake up
I am urging people to wake up and take notice of what is happening around them.


Oh wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
I am adamant about this wakeup call.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Julian Casablancas

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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