Terraplane Blues
Nigel Watson; Peter Green Lyrics
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When I feel so lonesome, you hear me when I moan
Who been drivin' my Terraplane1, for you since I been gone.
I'd said I flash your lights, mama, you horn won't even blow
(Somebody's been runnin' my batteries down on this machine)
I even flash my lights, mama, this horn won't even blow
Got a short in this connection, hoo well, babe, it's way down below
I'm goin' heist your hood, mama, I'm bound to check your oil
I'm goin' heist your hood, mama, mmm, I'm bound to check your oil
I got a woman that I'm lovin', way down in Arkansas
Now, you know the coils ain't even buzzin', little generator won't get the spark
Motor's in a bad condition, you gotta have these batteries charged
But I'm cryin', pleease, pleease don't do me wrong.
Who been drivin' my Terraplane1 now for, you since I been gone.
Mr. highway man, please don't block the road
Puh hee hee, please don't block the road
'Cause she's reachin' a cold one hundred and I'm booked and I got to go
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Yoo ooo ooo ooo, you hear me weep and moan
Who been drivin' my Terraplane1 now for, you since I been gone
I'm gon' get down in this connection, keep on tanglin' with your wires
I'm gon' get down in this connection, oh well, keep on tanglin' with these wires
And when I mash down on your little starter, then your spark plug will give me fire
The song "Terraplane Blues" by Peter Green is a blues classic about a man who returns home to find his woman driving his car, a Terraplane, and he suspects that she has been seeing someone else. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and loneliness through vivid imagery of the car's mechanical problems, such as "the coils ain't even buzzin'" and "got a short in this connection." It's clear that the Terraplane is a source of pride and identity for the man, and he feels violated by his woman's use of it while he was away. He pleads with her not to do him wrong while also acknowledging his own infidelity with another woman in Arkansas.
The repetition of the line "Who been drivin' my Terraplane for you since I been gone" underscores the man's obsession with his car and the perceived betrayal by his woman. The lyrics also contain references to the car's speed ("reaching a cold one hundred") and the man's efforts to fix it ("gon' get down in this connection"). The song's themes of jealousy, mistrust, and longing are universal, and the blues genre provides a fittingly mournful and soulful soundtrack.
Line by Line Meaning
And I feel so lonesome, you hear me when I moan
I am very lonely without you and you can sense it when I express my sadness
Who been drivin' my Terraplane1, for you since I been gone.
Who has been driving my car in my absence? I suspect it's you
I'd said I flash your lights, mama, you horn won't even blow
I tried to signal you by flashing the lights, but the horn isn't working because someone has been draining the battery
Got a short in this connection, hoo well, babe, it's way down below
There's an electrical issue with the car that's causing a short circuit; it might be located deep inside the engine compartment
I'm goin' heist your hood, mama, I'm bound to check your oil
I need to lift the hood of the car to check the oil levels
I'm goin' heist your hood, mama, mmm, I'm bound to check your oil
I'm definitely going to inspect your engine, just to make sure everything is in order
I got a woman that I'm lovin', way down in Arkansas
I have a lover whom I deeply cherish, and she lives far away in Arkansas
Now, you know the coils ain't even buzzin', little generator won't get the spark
The ignition coils aren't producing any sparks, and the generator isn't getting any power
Motor's in a bad condition, you gotta have these batteries charged
The engine is in terrible shape and needs to be fixed; it's important to charge the battery before trying to start the car
But I'm cryin', pleease, pleease don't do me wrong.
I'm shedding tears here, begging you not to hurt me in any way
Mr. highway man, please don't block the road
I'm pleading with the highway man not to obstruct my path
Cause she's reachin' a cold one hundred and I'm booked and I got to go
I need to hit 100 miles per hour, and I'm in a hurry to leave
Yoo ooo ooo ooo, you hear me weep and moan
My sorrowful cries and sounds of distress are clearly audible to you
I'm gon' get down in this connection, oh well, keep on tanglin' with these wires
I need to get closer to the wires and connectors to fix the issue, and I'll keep at it until it's resolved
And when I mash down on your little starter, then your spark plug will give me fire
Once I hit the starter button, I'll create a spark that will ignite the fuel, and the engine will start running properly
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT LEROY JOHNSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind