Barrier Reef
Old 97's Lyrics


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Empty bottle was half empty, tide was low, and I was thirsty
I saw her sitting at the bar, well you know how some girls are
Always making eyes, well she wasn't making eyes

So I sidled up beside her, settled down and shouted, "Hi there"
My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady-killer"
She said, "I'm already dead," that's exactly what she said
So we tripped the lights fantastic, we was both made of elastic
Midnight came and midnight went and I though I was the President
She said, "Do you have a car?" and I said, "Do I have a car?"

What's so great about the Barrier Reef?
What's so fine about art?
What's so good about a Good Times Van
When you're working on a broken, working on a broken
Working on a broken man
When you're working on a broken, working on a broken
Working on a broken man, yeah

My heart wasn't in it, not for one single minute
Oh then I went through the motions with her
Her on top, and me on liquor, didn't do no good, well I didn't think it would

What's so great about the Barrier Reef?
What's so fine about art?
What's so good about a Good Times Van
When you're working on a broken, working on a broken
Working on a broken man?
When you're working on a broken, working on a broken
Working on a broken man?




When you're working on a broken, working on a broken
Working on a broken man?

Overall Meaning

The song "Great Barrier Reef" by Old 97's is a tale of a failed attempt at a one-night stand. The singer of the song, a man named Stewart Ransom Miller, approaches a woman at a bar and tries to start a conversation with her. The woman is unresponsive to his advances, but eventually agrees to go home with him. However, despite their physical activity, there is absolutely no emotional connection between them.


The chorus of the song asks a series of rhetorical questions about what is so great about certain things, such as the Great Barrier Reef, art, and a Good Times van, when one is working on a broken man. This chorus emphasizes the futility of trying to find pleasure or happiness in external things when one is struggling internally.


Overall, the song is a commentary on the emptiness of casual sexual encounters and the searching for meaning in material things.


Line by Line Meaning

Empty bottle was half empty, tide was low, and I was thirsty
The singer was drinking alone because he was thirsty and there was no one to talk to.


I saw her sitting at the bar, well you know how some girls are
The singer noticed a woman at the bar who seemed to be flirting with him.


Always making eyes, well she wasn't making eyes
Despite the singer's assumption that the woman was flirting with him, she wasn't actually showing any interest.


So I sidled up beside her, settled down and shouted, "Hi there"
The singer approached the woman and tried to start up a conversation.


My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady-killer"
The singer bragged about his persona as a womanizer, under the name Stuart Ransom Miller.


She said, "I'm already dead," that's exactly what she said
The woman rejected the singer's advances, saying she was uninterested.


So we tripped the lights fantastic, we was both made of elastic
The two tried to dance and enjoy each other's company, but their chemistry was forced and awkward.


Midnight came and midnight went and I though I was the President
The singer felt a false sense of power and superiority, even though his encounter with the woman didn't go well.


She said, "Do you have a car?" and I said, "Do I have a car?"
The woman asked if the singer had a car, and the singer sarcastically responded with the same question.


What's so great about the Barrier Reef?
The singer questions the value of the Barrier Reef, implying that it's overrated.


What's so fine about art?
The singer questions the value of art, implying that it's subjective and doesn't hold inherent value.


What's so good about a Good Times Van When you're working on a broken, working on a broken Working on a broken man?
The singer questions the appeal of material objects like a van, when they don't address the deeper issues of a broken person.


My heart wasn't in it, not for one single minute
The singer admits that he wasn't emotionally invested in his encounter with the woman.


Oh then I went through the motions with her
The singer engaged in physical intimacy with the woman, even though he wasn't really into it.


Her on top, and me on liquor, didn't do no good, well I didn't think it would
The singer recounts the encounter which was ineffective with the woman who was on top while he was drunk.


When you're working on a broken, working on a broken Working on a broken man?
The singer reiterates his point about materialistic things not helping to fix a person's deeper issues.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KENDALL DEWAYNE BETHEA, MURRAY HAMMOND, STEWART RANSOM MILLER, PHILIP WAYNE PEEPLES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

backpainsandagony

one of my friends sang this to me years ago while i was 3 hits deep on acid, on a microphone that wasnt plugged in, in a closet in my basement. i will never forget that night. good times. awesome song.

Carmen Bondra

fuckin amazing story

brett holtslander

I can literally see this story ... great moments

Jeph629

First caught up with this band and this song in 1998. And they're still one of the most enjoyable bands--for me--ever!

Stephanie Anderson

Yes ma’am you

Stephanie Anderson

Yes

luke972

LOL drink a bottle of Gin, drive west until you have a half tank left, smoke a Jeffery, put a pound if cocain down the heater vents, crank the defrost and head south. When you run out of gas pulls over to the side of the road and put this song on full blast. When you sober up start your new life.

R Grimm

@Kiwily : sadly, that was probably your best 3rd grade description......an absolute failure of a retort, now find your teachers dictionary and attempt to look up these "big" words

Hal

@R Grimm damn

Michael French

Old 97s 😝❤️

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