Loose Change
Lex Zaleta Lyrics
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Get home just in time to watch it on TV.
Makes me start to wonder exactly who I am,
And if I am even close to where I should be.
Get up next morning to my wind-up Big Ben;
Without any warning, power's out again.
Seems I'm in the dark about so many things;
I pull up to work, the parking lot's filled;
I don't have that perk, that reserved-spot thrill.
I find the last space halfway across town;
The skies open up, and I almost drown.
I've been nickeled and dimed,
Drawn and quartered;
I have half a mind
To cross that crazy border.
Dollars to donuts,
It would be way shorter,
Save a world of time,
Save shipping on my order.
Get to my office, drenched to the bone;
"Glad you could join us!" says my speakerphone.
I apologize profusely to my boss,
A mix of truth and lies to get my point across.
I work hard all day, fall further behind;
Must be a better way, better than this grind.
I hike thirty blocks back to my beater;
The temperature's dropped, wish I had a heater.
I've been nickeled and dimed,
Drawn and quartered;
I have half a mind
To cross that crazy border.
Dollars to donuts,
It would be way shorter,
Save a world of time,
Save shipping on my order.
Two hours of my day stuck in a traffic jam;
Get home just in time to watch it on TV.
Makes me start to wonder exactly who I am,
And if I am even close to where I should be.
The song "Loose Change" by Lex Zaleta is a reflection on the monotony and frustration of daily life, and the desire for change. The lyrics tell the story of a person's typical day, from sitting in traffic for hours to the lack of power at home to struggling to find a parking spot at work. The singer questions whether they are truly living the life they should be, and whether there is a better, more fulfilling way.
The song's opening lines set the tone, emphasizing the frustration of sitting in traffic for two hours and feeling like time is being wasted. This sentiment is echoed later in the song when the singer has to hike thirty blocks back to their car, soaked from the rain. Throughout the song, there is a clear sense of dissatisfaction with the daily grind, and a desire for something more.
There is also a sense of powerlessness in the lyrics, as the singer feels "nickled and dimed, drawn and quartered" and like they are at the mercy of circumstances beyond their control. However, there is also a glimmer of hope in the repeated refrain of "dollars to donuts, it would be way shorter," suggesting that change is possible if one is willing to take the risk.
Overall, "Loose Change" is a relatable and introspective song about the struggles of daily life, and the hope for something better.
Line by Line Meaning
Two hours of my day stuck in a traffic jam;
I spent a significant portion of my day sitting in traffic.
Get home just in time to watch it on TV.
I got home just in time to watch the traffic jam I was in on TV.
Makes me start to wonder exactly who I am,
Sitting in traffic made me question my identity and purpose.
And if I am even close to where I should be.
I'm not sure if I'm where I'm meant to be in life.
Get up next morning to my wind-up Big Ben;
I woke up the next morning to my alarm clock.
Without any warning, power's out again.
There was a power outage, and I wasn't prepared for it.
Seems I'm in the dark about so many things;
I feel lost and uninformed about many aspects of life.
Still a kid in the park standing by the swings.
I feel like I'm still stuck in a childlike state of mind.
I pull up to work, the parking lot's filled;
When I arrive at work, the parking lot is already full.
I don't have that perk, that reserved-spot thrill.
I don't have the luxury of a reserved parking spot.
I find the last space halfway across town;
I have to park far away from my job.
The skies open up, and I almost drown.
It starts raining heavily and catches me off guard.
I've been nickeled and dimed,
I've been charged small amounts of money over a long period of time.
Drawn and quartered;
I've been stretched thin and pulled in multiple directions.
I have half a mind
I'm considering taking an action, but not fully committed.
To cross that crazy border.
I'm thinking about taking a risk and doing something radical.
Dollars to donuts,
I'm highly confident in my prediction.
It would be way shorter,
I would save a significant amount of time.
Save a world of time,
I would save an enormous amount of time.
Save shipping on my order.
I would also save money on shipping if I take the risk.
Get to my office, drenched to the bone;
I arrive at work soaking wet from the rain.
"Glad you could join us!" says my speakerphone.
My colleagues sarcastically welcome me to work through the artistphone.
I apologize profusely to my boss,
I say sorry to my boss in an exaggerated manner.
A mix of truth and lies to get my point across.
I tell a mixture of truth and lies to make my argument sound persuasive.
I work hard all day, fall further behind;
I work hard, but I still can't keep up with everything.
Must be a better way, better than this grind.
I'm convinced there must be a better way to live life than this.
I hike thirty blocks back to my beater;
I walk thirty blocks back to my old car.
The temperature's dropped, wish I had a heater.
It's gotten colder, and I wish my car had a heating system.
Contributed by Claire G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.