According to the Walking In Memphis Songfacts, Cohn was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-'80s when he was with a 14-piece band called The Supreme Court. Atlantic Records signed him in 1989, but the first attempts to record his debut album with Tracy Chapman 's producer David Kerschenbaum failed. Ten months later, he tried again, producing the set himself with help from the little-known Ben Wisch, who had helped him with his demos. Finally released in 1991 when Cohn was 31 years old, his self-titled debut album was a huge hit, thanks to the massive success of "Walking In Memphis." Cohn won the 1991 Grammy for Best New Artist award, beating out both Boyz II Men and Seal. Cohn never matched the chart success of this song, but like his musical heroes Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne , he remained a critical and artistic success as a songwriter and performer.
He has issued two other studio albums to date, The Rainy Season (1993) and Burning the Daze (1998), both on Atlantic Records. A self-released live compilation, Live 04-05 (2005), is being sold at concerts on his current tour.
He is the most famous graduate of Beachwood High School in Beachwood, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. He attended Oberlin College as well. In addition, Cohn is notably married to ABC News journalist Elizabeth Vargas whom he met at the 1999 US Open after being introduced by Andre Agassi. Cohn and Vargas have two sons: Zachary Raphael (born on January 31, 2003) and Samuel Wyatt (born on August 16, 2006). Cohn has two other children— Max and Emily—from a previous marriage.
On August 7, 2005, Cohn was shot in the head during an attempted carjacking, following a concert with Suzanne Vega in Denver, Colorado. He was hospitalized and released the next day. The remaining concerts on the tour were cancelled.
Cohn released The Very Best Of Marc Cohn in June 2006, and his 4th studio album, Join The Parade, was released on October 9, 2007. He continues to tour to this day. For photographs and additional information visit Marc's official website, www.MarcCohn.net.
Strangers in a Car
Marc Cohn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Driving down your street
Acts like he knows who you are
Slaps his hand on the empty seat and says
"Are you gonna get in
Or are you gonna stay out?"
Just a stranger in a car
Might be the one they told you about
Well you never were one for cautiousness
You open the door
He gives you a tender kiss
And you can't even hear them no more
All the voices of choices
Now only one road remains
And strangers in a car
Two hearts
Two souls
Tonight
Two lanes
You don't know where you're goin'
You don't know what you're doin'
Hell it might be the highway to heaven
And it might be the road to ruin
But this is a song
For strangers in a car
Baby maybe that's all
We really are
Strangers in a car
(Driving down your street)
Just strangers in a car
(Driving down your street)
Strangers in a car
The song "Strangers in a Car" by Marc Cohn narrates a story of two strangers who connect in a car ride, taking the risk of the unknown. The first verse reveals that a man appears out of nowhere in his car, familiar with the person on the street, and invites her on board. She is left with a choice between staying safe or indulging in an adventure with a stranger, "Are you gonna get in, or are you gonna stay out?" The woman chooses to join the man, and they both drive away together.
The following verse suggests that this decision implies letting go of one's concerns and being open to anything. Through the man's tenderness, the woman is no longer attentive to the "voices of choices" that surrounded her before. The only thing that matters now is the journey ahead of them. The final verse summarizes this idea as it concludes that life is uncertain, and sometimes, we are only strangers in a car, unsure of where we're headed or what we're doing.
Overall, the lyrics communicate the theme of taking risks, living in the moment, and embracing the unknown, indicating that sometimes the most profound experiences come from making unlikely connections and venturing into new paths.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a stranger in a car
Someone you don't know is driving a car near you.
Driving down your street
The car is moving along the street where you live.
Acts like he knows who you are
The stranger is behaving as if he is familiar with you.
Slaps his hand on the empty seat and says 'Are you gonna get in or are you gonna stay out?'
The stranger invites you to get into the car with him or stay out.
Just a stranger in a car
The person driving the car is still a stranger to you.
Might be the one they told you about
You might have heard about this stranger before from someone else.
Well you never were one for cautiousness
You are not a careful or cautious person by nature.
You open the door
You decide to get into the car and open the door.
He gives you a tender kiss
The stranger kisses you in a gentle and loving way.
And you can't even hear them no more
You stop hearing any other voices, opinions, or choices.
All the voices of choices
Various choices or options that you had earlier are no longer relevant.
Now only one road remains
You are left with just one path to follow.
And strangers in a car
You and the stranger in the car are still not familiar with each other.
Two hearts
You and the stranger have two hearts or emotions.
Two souls
You and the stranger each have individual personalities or souls.
Tonight
This is happening right now, tonight.
Two lanes
The two of you are on the road, driving on two lanes.
You don't know where you're goin'
Neither of you knows where you're heading to.
You don't know what you're doin'
You are unsure or unclear about what the future holds.
Hell it might be the highway to heaven
Even though you have no idea where you're going, it could end up being a good thing.
And it might be the road to ruin
On the other hand, you are aware that this could also end up being a bad decision.
But this is a song
This whole experience could be a metaphorical or literal song being sung to capture the moment.
For strangers in a car
This song is dedicated to all the strangers who experience something similar in a car.
Baby maybe that's all
Maybe this is all that you and the stranger are to each other, two strangers in a car.
We really are
It's true that both of you was a stranger before, still are and perhaps will remain strangers afterward as well.
Strangers in a car (Driving down your street)
You are no longer walking down the street, but rather, driving as strangers in a car.
Just strangers in a car (Driving down your street)
You emphasize again that you are strangers in a car, nothing more nothing less.
Strangers in a car
This repetition acknowledges once more that both of you are strangers in a moving car.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARC COHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind