drive
R. Ocasek Lyrics

Smack, crack, bushwhacked
Starting off with slang for addiction and abrupt action, implying that the world can be a rough place that catches you off guard.

Tie another one to the racks, baby
A metaphor for being trapped or burdened by responsibilities in life.

Hey kids, rock and roll
An invitation to enjoy youth and music, and to experience life with energy and passion.

Nobody tells you where to go, baby
No one can predict your future or tell you what your life will be like.

What if I ride, what if you walk?
A hypothetical question about the choices people make and how they impact their lives.

What if you rock around the clock?
Asking what would happen if someone was committed to their passion and spent all their time pursuing it.

Tick-tock, tick-tock
An onomatopoeic reference to the passing of time and the need to make the most of it.

What if you did, what if you walk?
Repeating the hypothetical question, to emphasize the importance of the choices people make.

What if you tried to get off, baby?
Asking what would happen if someone tried to break free from the constraints that hold them back.

Oh-oh
An expression of concern or realization.

Hey, kids, where are you?
Calling out to the next generation to find their way in the world.

Nobody tells you what to do, baby
No one can dictate how people should live their lives or become successful.

Hey kids, shake a leg
Encouraging people to get moving and take action in their lives.

Maybe you're crazy in the head, baby
Suggesting that it takes a bit of craziness or risk-taking to succeed in life and follow your dreams.

Maybe you did, maybe you walked
Contemplating the different paths people take in life, whether they walk the safe route or take risks.

Tick-tock, tick-tock
Again referencing the need to make the most of time and the fleetingness of life.

Maybe I ride, maybe you walk
Suggesting inequality or difference in opportunities, where one person may have an easier path than another.

Maybe I drive to get off, baby
Suggesting that some people have the resources or advantage to pursue their dreams more easily than others.

Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie
A reference to the children's game of hide and seek, where a player is called back to base.

Ollie, Ollie in come free, baby
Calling for those who are lost or hiding to return or reveal themselves.

Hey, kids, where are you?
Repeating the call for the next generation to find their way in life.

Nobody tells you what to do, baby
Emphasizing the importance of individual choice and the freedom to pursue one's passion.

Smack, crack, shack-a-lack
Repeating the opening lines, to reinforce the idea that life is unpredictable and can be a struggle.

Tie another one to your backs, baby
Repeating the earlier metaphor of being trapped or burdened, to highlight the pressure people face in life.

Hey kids, rock and roll
Final repetition of the refrain, to remind people to enjoy their youth, passion, and energy.

Nobody tells you where to go, baby
Final repetition of the phrase, to underscore the freedom and challenge of forging your own path in life.