Back to Back
Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle Lyrics
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Like I'm empty inside
I know I'm doin' good now but tonight I'm headed downtown
Down by the riverside
I sit underneath the freeway with an old friend from the old days
And a bottle of wine
He used to call me "Big Time", said he knew someday that I'd shine
He said
Keep yourself to yourself
Keep your bedroll dry
And boy you never can tell
What the shadows hide
Keep one eye on the ground
Pick up whatever you find
'Cause you've got no place to fall
When your back's to the wall
He's gettin' old and it's showin' so I asked him how it's goin'
He said "I've seen better I guess
I've been rained on, I've been frozen, but this here's the life I've chosen
If it just wasn't for the loneliness"
Now this river suits me to a T. but if you're trying to raise a family
This it ain't no place to be
Hell there's a kid down by the dump there, ought to be in grade school somewhere
Now he hangs out with me, now I told him
Keep yourself to yourself
Keep your bedroll dry
And boy you never can tell
What the shadows hide
Keep one eye on the ground
Pick up whatever you find
'Cause you've got no place to fall
When your back's to the wall
Well we finished off the bottle and I told him,
"Joe I think I ought to be headed uptown
Well it was late, and I'd been drinkin', drivin' home I got to thinkin'
'Bout what's been going down
'Cause they're nervous down on Wall Street, but they're trying to keep it upbeat
Or maybe they just don't care
Down at the river eyes are burnin' cause they feel the tables turnin'
So if you wind up down there
Just keep yourself to yourself
Keep your bedroll dry
And boy you never can tell
What the shadows hide
Keep one eye on the ground
Pick up whatever you find
'Cause you've got no place to fall
When your back's to the wall
The song 'Back To Back' explores the idea of loneliness and the struggles of living in poverty. The singer opens up about feeling empty inside, despite doing well for himself, and seeks the comfort of an old friend who knows him from his past. They sit together underneath a freeway, drinking wine, and reminiscing about their younger days. The friend offers the advice to always take care of oneself, be aware of what's around you, and be prepared to pick up the pieces when things go wrong. They discuss the hardships of living in their current environment, and how some end up there by choice while others don't have a choice. The song ends on a melancholic note, with the singer heading downtown, wondering about the troubles of those on Wall Street, and reflecting on the uncertainty of life.
The lyrics in the song paint a vivid picture of the struggles of people living in poverty and the difficulties of life. The use of imagery to describe the environment adds a sense of sadness and loneliness to the song, as well as the insight into the singer's mindset. The advice given by the friend hints at the idea that the singer may need to keep his guard up at all times, as there are elements of danger around him. The song captures the essence of resilience among those who have gone through hardship and have learned to cope with it in the best way possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes in the evenings I start to get that feeling
Sometimes in the evenings, I feel empty inside.
Like I'm empty inside
I feel a deep sense of emptiness within me.
I know I'm doin' good now but tonight I'm headed downtown
I am aware of my success, but tonight I'm heading downtown.
Down by the riverside
I am heading towards the riverside.
I sit underneath the freeway with an old friend from the old days
I went under the freeway and met an old friend from my past.
And a bottle of wine
We shared a bottle of wine.
He used to call me 'Big Time,' said he knew someday that I'd shine
My friend called me 'Big Time' and had faith that I would become successful.
Said he'd seen all the signs
My friend saw potential in me and knew that I would be successful.
Keep yourself to yourself
Don't spread yourself too thin or reveal too much.
Keep your bedroll dry
Make sure you stay dry.
And boy you never can tell
You never know for sure.
What the shadows hide
What's lurking in the shadows.
Keep one eye on the ground
Be observant and keep your eye on the ground.
Pick up whatever you find
Take advantage of opportunities.
'Cause you've got no place to fall
You cannot afford to fall.
When your back's to the wall
When you're in a vulnerable position.
He's gettin' old and it's showin' so I asked him how it's goin'
Since my friend is getting old, I asked how he's doing.
He said 'I've seen better I guess
He replied that he's seen better days.
I've been rained on, I've been frozen, but this here's the life I've chosen
Even though life has not been easy, my friend has chosen this path.
If it just wasn't for the loneliness'
If it wasn't for the loneliness, things might be easier.
Now this river suits me to a T. but if you're trying to raise a family
Although the river suits my lifestyle, it's not practical if you have a family.
This it ain't no place to be
It's not the best place to raise a family.
Hell there's a kid down by the dump there, ought to be in grade school somewhere
There's a kid down by the dump who should be in school.
Now he hangs out with me, now I told him
But he hangs out with me now, and I advised him.
Well we finished off the bottle and I told him
We finished the wine and I said to him,
'Joe I think I ought to be headed uptown
'Joe, I should probably head uptown.'
Well it was late, and I'd been drinkin', drivin' home I got to thinkin'
It was late, and I had been drinking, and on my drive home, I had some thoughts.
'Bout what's been going down
About what has been happening lately.
'Cause they're nervous down on Wall Street, but they're trying to keep it upbeat
People are nervous on Wall Street, but they're trying to stay positive.
Or maybe they just don't care
Either they don't care or don't show their concern.
Down at the river eyes are burnin' cause they feel the tables turnin'
People at the river are anxious and feel things changing.
So if you wind up down there
If you end up at the river.
Just keep yourself to yourself
Stay focused on yourself.
Keep your bedroll dry
Stay dry and comfortable.
And boy you never can tell
You never know for sure what's going to happen.
What the shadows hide
What's hidden in the shadows.
Keep one eye on the ground
Be observant and keep an eye on the ground.
Pick up whatever you find
Take advantage of any opportunity.
'Cause you've got no place to fall
You can't afford to make a mistake.
When your back's to the wall
When you are vulnerable.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind