drive
Karaoke - R.E.M. Lyrics

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(One, two, one, two, three, four)

Smack, crack, bushwhacked
Tie another one to your racks, baby
Hey kids, rock and roll
Nobody tells you where to go, baby

What if I ride, what if you walk?

What if you rock around the clock?
Tick-tock, tick-tock
What if you did, what if you walk?
What if you tried to get off, baby?

Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby
Hey kids, shake a leg
Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby

Maybe you did, maybe you walked
Maybe you rocked around the clock
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Maybe I ride, maybe you walk
Maybe I drive to get off, baby

Hey kids, shake a leg
Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby
Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie
Ollie, Ollie in come free, baby
Hey, kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby

Smack, crack, shack-a-lack
Tie another one to your backs, baby
Hey kids, rock and roll
Nobody tells you where to go, baby

Maybe you did, maybe you walk
Maybe you rock around the clock
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Maybe I ride, maybe you walk
Maybe I drive to get off, baby

Hey kids, where are you?
Nobody tells you what to do, baby
Hey kids, rock and roll
Nobody tells you where to go, baby

Baby
Baby

Overall Meaning

The song "Drive" by R.E.M. has a rather restless and rebellious tone. The lyrics "Smack, crack, bushwhacked, tie another one to the racks, baby" refer to drug addiction, which is a common issue that troubles many people. The lyrics are a metaphor for the idea that once you get addicted to something, it's hard to stop. The line "Hey kids, rock and roll, nobody tells you where to go, baby" may indicate that the person has lost direction and is searching for meaning in their life.

In the next verse, the singer wonders what would happen if they were to do something different, such as ride rather than walk, or drive rather than walk. This indicates that the singer is questioning their current path in life and is possibly seeking change. The line "Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby" suggests that they are conflicted internally, and are unsure of themselves.

The chorus "Hey kids, where are you? Nobody tells you what to do, baby" suggests that the singer is speaking to a generation that is lost and in need of guidance. The rest of the song repeats these themes, and overall suggests a search for meaning and direction. The driving guitar and onomatopoeia in the song likewise indicate a determined search and a persistent striving to break out of the ordinary.

Line by Line Meaning

Smack, crack, bushwhacked
Life can be tough and can hit us hard.

Tie another one to the racks, baby
We need to keep going despite life's challenges and overcome them.

Hey kids, rock and roll
Let's enjoy life and have fun regardless of its difficulties.

Nobody tells you where to go, baby
We need to find our own path in life and make our own decisions.

What if I ride, what if you walk?
Our paths in life may differ, but that's okay.

What if you rock around the clock?
We can still have fun and make the most of our time even if we don't follow the norm.

Tick-tock, tick-tock
Life is short and time passes quickly, so we need to make the most of it.

What if you did, what if you walk?
It's okay to take a different path in life and try something new.

What if you tried to get off, baby?
We may want to escape from our problems, but we need to face them and work through them.

Hey, kids, where are you?
We need to enjoy the moment and live in the present.

Nobody tells you what to do, baby
We have the freedom to make our own choices in life.

Hey kids, shake a leg
Let's dance and have fun.

Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby
We may be a little wild or unconventional, but that's okay.

Maybe you did, maybe you walked
We may have tried different paths in life and that's okay too.

Maybe I ride, maybe you walk
Our journeys in life may be different, but we can still enjoy life and have fun.

Maybe I drive to get off, baby
We may need to take action and be proactive to get past our problems and challenges.

Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie
A fun play on words and an encouragement to come out of hiding and enjoy life.

Ollie, Ollie in come free, baby
It's okay to let loose and have fun.

Go, baby
Enjoy life to the fullest and make the most of every moment.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Stipe, William Berry, Peter Buck, Michael Mills

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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