Punching Goodbye Out Front
Kinski Lyrics


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Past all the police cars in a row
Something was going on I should′ve seen going down
Felt the heat in the night air
Felt good to be alive, it felt good to be square

Kept on driving as the sun went down
Fell beneath my skin from beneath my feet
So many things that I wanna say
But I don't remember how to speak





Overall Meaning

Possible interpretation:


The opening lines suggest that the singer missed or ignored some clues that might have alerted them to a dangerous or illicit situation in their surroundings, characterized by the presence of multiple police cars. The choice of words "should've seen" and "going down" implies that the singer regrets not being more vigilant or curious, perhaps because they were preoccupied with their own thoughts or feelings. However, as the night air becomes warmer or more charged, the singer experiences a sense of vitality and contentment, expressed through the idiom "felt good to be alive, felt good to be square". The latter phrase could be interpreted in various ways, but one possibility is that it refers to a state of conformity or innocence, like a clean slate or a geometric figure that fits in with others.


The second stanza shifts to the perspective of the driving itself, as the singer continues to move forward while the sun sets. The use of "fell" instead of "set" or "disappeared" again conveys a visceral sensation, as if the singer is falling into a deeper layer of reality or emotion. The third line, "beneath my skin from beneath my feet", could imply that the driving is affecting the singer's physical and mental state in a profound and unsettling way, beyond what they can control or explain. The last line, "But I don't remember how to speak", could suggest that the singer is struggling to articulate their thoughts and feelings, either because they are overwhelmed by them or because they have lost touch with language itself. The tension between seeing and saying, observing and expressing, recurs throughout the song and is a common theme in Kinski's music.


Line by Line Meaning

Past all the police cars in a row
I drove past a line of police cars.


Something was going on I should′ve seen going down
There was something happening that I should have paid attention to.


Felt the heat in the night air
I sensed a tense atmosphere in the nighttime.


Felt good to be alive, it felt good to be square
I felt great to be alive, to be ordinary and unremarkable.


Kept on driving as the sun went down
I continued driving as the sun set.


Fell beneath my skin from beneath my feet
I was moved emotionally by something unexpected.


So many things that I wanna say
I have a lot to express.


But I don't remember how to speak
I'm unable to articulate myself.




Writer(s): Chris Martin

Contributed by Xavier G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@jwabss

Past all the police cars in a row
Something was going on I should've seen going down
Felt the heat in the night air
Felt good to be young, it felt good to be square

Kept on driving as the sun went down
Fell beneath my skin from beneath my feet
So many things that I wanna say
But I don't remember how to speak



@EvanSchatz

Past all the police cars in a row
Something was going on I should've seen going down
Felt the heat in the night air
Felt good to be young, it felt good to be square

Kept on driving as the sun went down
Fell beneath my skin from beneath my feet
So many things that I wanna say
But I don't remember how to speak



All comments from YouTube:

@NATE123451

one of the best songs in SKATE 3

@SkellyBone69

Real

@raresblidar7721

One of the best songs I’ve ever heard. I discovered it through skate 3. And of course this was released on Sub Pop. That’s all :)

@Echolyktuz

This and Drunk Skate Sessions

@oranzaid7776

Bro I swear I'm drunk and high rn playing sk8 3 it's so fun doing speed glitches off of everything

@sniper7303

This is a will always be apart of the skate 3 sound track

@juandelossantos3074

Skate 3 one of my favorite skateboarding game Love this song

@LudovicMac

Amazing band.

@cm7032004

you can buy it at just about any record store band: kinski album: down below it's chaos

@thecopster100

People looking for tabs, try and learn it by ear, its pretty simple, uses the D pentatonic scale.

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