Walk Away
LaBamba's Big Band; Southside Johnny Lyrics


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Dot King was whittled from the bone of Cain
With a little drop of poison in the red red blood
She need a way to turn around the bend
She said I want to walk away and start over again

There are things I've done I can't erase
I want to look in the mirror see another face
I said, "never", but I'm doing it again
I wanna walk away, start over again

No more rain, no more roses
On my way, shake my thirst in a cool cool pond

There's a winner in every place
There's a heart that's beating in every page
The beginning of it starts at the end
When it's time to walk away and start over again

Weather's murder at a hundred and three
William Ray shot Corabell Lee
A yellow dog knows when he has sinned
You wanna walk away and start over again

No more rain, no more roses
On my way, shaking my thirst in a cool cool pond

Cooper told Maui the whole block's gone
They're dying for jewelry, money, and clothes
I always get out of the trouble I'm in
I want to walk away, start over again

I left my bible by the side of the road
Carve my initials in an old dead tree
I'm going away but I'm going to be back when
It's time to walk away and start over again

Ho ho yeah, hmm, yeah
Gotta walk away, gotta walk away, gotta walk away




Just wanna walk away yeah, wanna walk away and start over again
Wanna walk away, wanna walk away, wanna walk away

Overall Meaning

The song "Walk Away" by Southside Johnny is a tale of redemption and the desire to start anew. The opening lines describe Dot King as someone who is infused with a little drop of poison within her body. King is a representative of the dark side of humanity, who wants to start over again by walking away from her past mistakes. She is aware that the things she's done cannot be easily erased, but her hope is that by walking away, she will be able to see another face when she looks in the mirror. It's a powerful message that sometimes the only way forward is to let go of the past and embrace new beginnings.


The lyrics also mention other characters who have walked away from their past sins. William Ray is described as someone who shot Corabell Lee, and even a yellow dog can tell when he has sinned. Maui and Cooper are two more characters who recognize the need to let go of their past troubles and start anew. The song seems to suggest that everyone has a chance to begin again, no matter how steeped in sin they may be.


Line by Line Meaning

Dot King was whittled from the bone of Cain
Dot King is a rough and tough person, who has roots in the biblical story of Cain and Abel.


With a little drop of poison in the red red blood
Dot King has a bit of a dangerous reputation or personality.


She needs a way to turn around the bend
Dot King desires a new direction and purpose in life.


She said I want to walk away and start over again
Dot King wants to completely restart her life and leave her current problems behind.


There are things I've done I can't erase
Dot King has made mistakes and bad decisions that she regrets.


I want to look in the mirror see another face
Dot King wishes to reinvent her image and personality.


I said, "never", but I'm doing it again
Dot King has promised herself to never make the same mistakes, but she finds herself repeating them.


I wanna walk away, start over again
Dot King desires to distance herself from her past and begin anew.


No more rain, no more roses
Dot King wants to leave behind both the good and the bad of her past.


On my way, shake my thirst in a cool cool pond
Dot King wants to fully embrace her new beginning and find her own way.


There's a winner in every place
There are opportunities for success in any situation.


There's a heart that's beating in every page
Every person has a unique story and perspective that should be heard and understood.


The beginning of it starts at the end
The start of a new beginning requires leaving the past behind.


When it's time to walk away and start over again
Sometimes it's necessary to let go of the past and begin anew.


Weather's murder at a hundred and three
The weather is unbearably hot, making life difficult.


William Ray shot Corabell Lee
A violent incident occurred, causing harm to others.


A yellow dog knows when he has sinned
Even animals understand when they have done wrong, and Dot King desires to leave behind her own wrongdoings.


You wanna walk away and start over again
The desire to begin anew and leave the past behind is a shared experience.


Cooper told Maui the whole block's gone
A friend gave a dire warning of danger and loss in the area.


They're dying for jewelry, money, and clothes
People are willing to do terrible things for material possessions.


I always get out of the trouble I'm in
Dot King is resourceful and finds a way to get out of difficult situations.


I want to walk away, start over again
Dot King reiterates her desire for a new beginning.


I left my bible by the side of the road
Dot King is intentionally leaving behind religious beliefs and practices of her past.


Carve my initials in an old dead tree
Dot King is leaving her mark on the world, even if it's not a living thing.


I'm going away but I'm going to be back when
Dot King plans to return someday in the future.


It's time to walk away and start over again
Dot King believes that in order to find true happiness and fulfillment, she must leave behind her past and begin anew.


Ho ho yeah, hmm, yeah
Vocal interlude with no clear meaning.


Gotta walk away, gotta walk away, gotta walk away
Repetition of Dot King's desire to walk away from her past.


Just wanna walk away yeah, wanna walk away and start over again
Dot King reiterates her desire for a new beginning.


Wanna walk away, wanna walk away, wanna walk away
Repetition of Dot King's desire to walk away and begin anew.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATHLEEN BRENNAN, THOMAS ALAN WAITS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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