Roadhouse Blues
Pearl Jam Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah!

Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
yeah, we're goin' to the roadhouse
we're gonna have a real
good time
Yeah, back at the roadhouse I got someone to love
yeah, back at the roadhouse I got someone to love
dance for the people
like to go down slow

Let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, all night long

Do it, Robby, do it

Yau gotta roll, roll, roll
yau gotta thrill my soul, all right
roll, roll, roll, roll
thrill my soul tonight

passion lady, passion lady
give up your vows, give up your vows
save our city, save our city
right now

Well, i woke up this morning, i got myself a beer
well, i woke up this morning, and i got myself a beer
the future's uncertain, and the end is always near

Let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, baby, roll




let it roll, baby, roll
let it roll, all night long

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pearl Jam's cover of the classic song "Roadhouse Blues" convey a sense of freedom and adventure, urging the listener to let go of their anxieties and simply enjoy the ride. The repeated refrain of "keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel" serves as a reminder to focus on the present moment and embrace the thrill of the journey. The promise of a good time at the roadhouse with someone to dance with further emphasizes the idea of letting go and living in the moment.


As the song progresses, Jim Morrison's original lyrics about a "passion lady" and "saving the city" take on a new meaning in the hands of Pearl Jam. Eddie Vedder's emotional delivery and the song's distorted guitars lend a sense of urgency to the plea to "save our city, save our city, right now." The sense of uncertainty about the future and the inevitability of death ("the future's uncertain, and the end is always near") create an existential backdrop to the song's celebration of life and freedom.


Overall, "Roadhouse Blues" is a powerful anthem of rock and roll rebellion that encourages listeners to embrace the joys of life and confront their fears head-on.


Line by Line Meaning

Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel
Focus on the road and drive safely


Yeah, we're goin' to the roadhouse, we're gonna have a real good time
Excited to go to the roadhouse and have fun


Back at the roadhouse I got someone to love, dance for the people like to go down slow
At the roadhouse, there's someone to love and dance with, and there are people who enjoy slow dancing


Let it roll, baby, roll, let it roll all night long
Encouragement to let loose and have fun all night long


Yau gotta roll, roll, roll, yau gotta thrill my soul all right, roll, roll, roll, roll, thrill my soul tonight
Urging to keep rolling and thrill one's soul


Passion lady, passion lady, give up your vows, give up your vows, save our city, save our city, right now
Asking a passionate woman to break her vows and help save the city immediately


Well, I woke up this morning, I got myself a beer, the future's uncertain, and the end is always near
Reflecting on life's uncertainties and the fleeting nature of time


Let it roll, baby, roll, let it roll all night long
Reiterating the desire to have a good time all night long




Contributed by Sadie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@vernrussell99

i love it how Eddie just stands in the background during the solo. Shows total respect and a brilliant performance

@laurietopp6445

vern russell he always does with older guys from great bands he is humble and respectful

@dpforth

Yes, that was a classy move

@zoey7234

I came here for this comment. Totally can't agree more.

@babylonkid

Eddie is always classy and respectful. Love him! 🤘

@DETROIT1948

The Greatest Line In Rock and Roll History.
"I Woke Up This Morning And I Got Myself A Beer."

@LuvLifeVlogZ

I actually did.

@Timliu92

No one will ever sing this tune better than Jim Morrison himself. With that being said, Eddie sounded really good here, and he did the song justice in my opinion.

@rossjoseph3844

+Timliu92 Vetter really was the only one with a similar vocal quality. I've always said Jim Morrison was the ultimate rockn' roll singer.

@jameswatson4394

yes very well said

More Comments

More Versions