Turbulence
Kayak Lyrics


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Watching the meters
Steering through a clear blue sky
But all of a sudden
Emerging in the corner of your eye

Someone zeroes in on you
And she's looking pretty mad
She's just too close for comfort
You'd better hold on to your hat

What you see is what you get
And I can see some turbulence ahead
What you see is what you get
There's gonna be some turbulence ahead

No more excuses
You're running out of places to hide
You ain't going nowhere
She's gonna take you for a bumpy ride

Your engine starts to overheat
Your meter's in the red
She's targeting your conscience
While you were aiming for her bed

What you see is what you get
And I can see some turbulence ahead
What you see is what you get
You've really got some turbulence ahead





Chorus repeat

Overall Meaning

Kayak's song Turbulence describes a situation where a pilot is navigating a plane, watching the meters and steering through a clear blue sky when suddenly, a person appears out of nowhere and zeroes in, looking angry. The pilot realizes that this person is too close for comfort and braces themselves for a bumpy ride. They know that there is turbulence ahead and that they can't make excuses or hide anymore.


The lyrics suggest that the pilot is not only dealing with physical turbulence, but also emotional turbulence. The person who has appeared is not just a hazard in the sky, but also in the pilot's personal life. The pilot's engine starts to overheat, and their conscience is targeted by this person, who they were only aiming to have a physical relationship with. The lyrics seem to suggest that the pilot is realizing that their actions could have consequences beyond just the physical realm.


The use of aviation imagery in the lyrics, such as "steering through a clear blue sky" and "meter's in the red," adds to the theme of turbulence in both the physical and emotional sense. Overall, the song seems to be warning the listener about the potential risks of engaging in casual relationships and the consequences that can arise.


Line by Line Meaning

Watching the meters
Piloting a plane while keeping a close eye on the instruments for any sudden changes.


Steering through a clear blue sky
Navigating the plane through a cloudless, bright sky without any obstacles in sight.


But all of a sudden
Out of nowhere, without any warning or preparation.


Emerging in the corner of your eye
Appearing suddenly and unexpectedly in a peripheral vision.


Someone zeroes in on you
Someone locks their focus intently on you, with a sense of determination.


And she's looking pretty mad
The person approaching has an obvious angry and upset demeanor.


She's just too close for comfort
The approaching person is causing alarm and discomfort by their proximity to the situation.


You'd better hold on to your hat
Prepare for an unpredictable and bumpy ride ahead.


What you see is what you get
Things are exactly as they appear with no hidden surprises or unknowns.


And I can see some turbulence ahead
I can already sense that danger or difficulty lies ahead.


No more excuses
Running out of justifications or plausible explanations for a situation.


You're running out of places to hide
It's becoming increasingly difficult to remain out of sight or off the radar.


You ain't going nowhere
There's no escape from the situation, it must be dealt with head-on.


She's gonna take you for a bumpy ride
The approaching person is going to make the situation challenging and uncomfortable for you.


Your engine starts to overheat
Your personal system is running on high stress and burning out from the added tension.


Your meter's in the red
You are in a danger zone or unsafe territory and need to take immediate caution.


She's targeting your conscience
The person is playing on your moral code and sense of right and wrong to manipulate and gain the upper hand.


While you were aiming for her bed
Your own intentions were less than honorable or ethical in nature.


You've really got some turbulence ahead
The situation is rapidly becoming more difficult and chaotic, and it's going to be a rough ride from here on out.




Contributed by Ryan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Kelvin Ekberg

Wow produce it!

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