Can't Go Back
Primal Scream & Mc5 Lyrics
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I tried so hard to find some light
When I looked there was no one there
No one there at all
I walked on down a crowded street
I hard somebody talk to me
When I turned around to speak
Can't go back, I can't go back
Can't go back, I can't go back
Can't go back, I can't go back
To the place I was before
I stuck a needle in my arm
I stuck it in my baby's heart
She looked so hot and sexy
She wasn't there at all
I heard some one break in my house
They had a gun they had a knife
But it was all behind my eyes
There was no one there at all
Can't go back, I can't go back
Can't go back, I can't go back
Can't go back, I can't go back
To the place I was before
My baby looked into my eyes
She tried so hard to find some light
When she looked there was no one there
No one there at all
Can't go back, I can't go back
Can't go back, I can't go back
Can't go back, I can't go back
To the place I was before
The lyrics of Primal Scream's song "Can't Go Back" explores the theme of loss and regret. The first verse depicts the singer searching for something in his partner's eyes, hoping to find "some light," but ultimately discovering that "no one" or nothing is there. This sense of isolation and emptiness is further emphasized in the second verse where the singer walks through a crowded street, only to hear someone speak to them when no one is around upon turning around to speak. The third verse, however, contemplates a darker reality; the singer, feeling the weight of his loss, turns to drug abuse, even attempting to bring his partner back through stabbing his arm with a needle. It is clear that nothing can bring back whatever it is he has lost.
The repeated phrase "Can't go back" emphasizes the singer's sense of finality, that there is no way to undo whatever has happened or restore what he previously had. The line "To the place I was before" emphasizes this sentiment, meaning that the singer no longer has access to a past self or experience. The last verse features the singer's partner in his position, trying to get through to him but finding no one there. The song evokes a sense of hopelessness and a desire to cling on to something that isn't there anymore.
Overall, the lyrics of "Can't Go Back" convey the emotions and turbulence of loss, drug addiction and hopelessness, mixed with a longing to return to a state of being that is no longer possible.
Line by Line Meaning
I looked into my baby's eyes
I tried to connect with my loved one at an intimate level by making eye contact
I tried so hard to find some light
I made an effort to salvage our relationship and find hope for a better future
When I looked there was no one there
To my disappointment, I realized that our bond was no longer present or strong enough
No one there at all
It was as if our connection had completely disappeared
I walked on down a crowded street
As I went about my day, I encountered different people and scenarios
I hard somebody talk to me
I thought I heard someone trying to communicate with me
When I turned around to speak
I acknowledged them and attempted to respond
There was no one there at all
To my surprise, there was no real person there, only an illusion or echo of my thoughts
Can't go back, I can't go back
I cannot turn back time or reverse what has already happened
To the place I was before
I cannot return to the state of my life prior to these events
I stuck a needle in my arm
I resorted to using drugs to cope with my pain and distress
I stuck it in my baby's heart
In an act of desperation, I caused harm to my loved one by involving them in my self-destructive behavior
She looked so hot and sexy
Despite the destructive nature of my actions, I glamorized and sexualized them in my mind
She wasn't there at all
In my altered state, I was detached from reality and could not perceive the harm I inflicted on my loved one
I heard some one break in my house
I felt violated and threatened by an intruder entering my personal space
They had a gun they had a knife
The intruder had weapons that could cause harm
But it was all behind my eyes
In actuality, there was no real threat or intruder, only a figment of my imagination
My baby looked into my eyes
My partner made an attempt to connect with me and understand the situation
No one there at all
However, I was too consumed by my own problems to truly form a connection or even recognize my partner's presence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARTIN DUFFY, BOBBY GILLESPIE, ANDREW INNES, DARRIN MOONEY, GARY MOUNFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind