Drive-in Movies
Ray LaMontagne Lyrics

I spent all my childhood years
During my formative years, I realized I lacked the good looks of a movie star.

Wishin' that I looked like a movie-Star
I used to desire to be as handsome and popular as a famous actor.

Cigarette behind my ear,
I used to put a cigarette behind my ear, thinking it makes me look cool and tough.

Leanin' up against a muscle car
I would often stand beside a powerful car that I thought portrayed a symbol of masculinity.

Wanna know all the things that I shouldn't know
I have a strong desire to experience and learn about things that are either inappropriate or forbidden.

Got smokes that I stole from the Seven-Eleven
I took cigarettes without paying from a Seven-Eleven store.

Everybody's at the drive-in, I wanna go
Most people are heading to the drive-in theater, and I want to join and partake in the experience.

I wanna be the guy who doesn't like to fight,
I fancy being a person who avoids violent confrontations or disputes.

But who could kick your ass if you touch his girl
However, I would be quick to defend myself and my girlfriend if anyone dared to initiate conflict.

I wanna be the guy who breaks all the rules
I aspire to be a person who disregards the norms and enjoys deviant freedom.

But the cops let him off cause they think he's cool
Despite my act of disobedience, the police would let me slide with non-consequence as they find me fascinating or admirable.

Grew up fast in that Nebraska town,
Growing up in Nebraska, I matured quickly beyond my years.

Nothin' goin on and even less to do
The town was quiet and uneventful, and there were almost zero entertainment activities to partake.

Mom's at work, and dad's never around,
My mother worked most of the time, and my dad was barely available.

So me and the guys we're skippin' school
Therefore, my friends and I would frequently miss school to engage in other activities.

I wanna be Brando
I used to wish to emulate Marlon Brando, an iconic actor that epitomized coolness, sex appeal, and nonconformity.

In the Wild One
I would often imagine me replicating the persona Brando portrayed in the film - The Wild One (1953).

I wanna be somethin'
I desired to be significant or extraordinary in some capacity, perhaps a person of great influence or a hero.

To someone
I aspired to have someone find me remarkable or special in some way.

'Cause nothin' ever happens in this Town,
There were very few events or occurrences in my town worth noting.

The same old crew, hangin' around
Most people in my town move within their small circles, never experiencing significant changes or influences.

Jus' waitin for some shit to go down
Most inhabitants of the area anticipate the occurrence of some violent or tragic event.

We love our Drive-in Movies
Drive-in movies were a significant pastime and primary source of entertainment in our lives.

Now I'm grown, kids of my own,
Now that I am an adult, I have kids of my own.

I never thought I could be a Dad
I never thought I could assume the fatherly duties that I take on now.

Me and my girl, we're goin' strong,
My girlfriend and I still have strong love and attachment to each other.

Still the best friend that I ever had
My girlfriend remains my closest confidant and most reliable partner that I have ever had.

Now I know all the things that I didn't know
Now that I have matured, I have learned about things that I was oblivious to about life.

Got smokes, but I buy em' now, I guess I'm old
I now buy cigarettes rather than stealing them since stealing is no longer acceptable behavior, I realize I am getting old.

Drive-in's just an empty lot that no one mows
The drive-in area is now abandoned and unkempt, serving as nothing more than an empty lot.

I miss those Drive-in Movies
I have a sense of nostalgia for my past experiences of watching movies in the drive-in theater with my friends.