Roadkill
Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics


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What's the matter with it?
Why's it look that way?
What's the matter with it?
What's it trying to say?

What's that on its back?
Where's it trying to go?
A mystical vision got dressed up one night
Locked the door, walked through the misty porch light

Headed over to somebody's house
For an occasion long awaited
As it crossed the road, vista del mar
A big red car

Big black tires, nice corvette
And the future has not arrived yet
Moonlight on the hill,
Lights up the road kill

Moonlight on the hill,
And the future is a road kill
What's the matter with it?
What's it trying to say?

What's the matter with it?
I just saw it yesterday
The police came, the neighbors too
They tried to pick it up,

What else can you do?
Meanwhile, somebody's waiting back at the house
For the future to dawn bright across the sky
Moonlight on the hill,

Lights up the road kill
Moonlight on the hill,
Lights up the future
What's the matter with it?

What's it trying to say?
What's the matter with it?
Why won't it go away?
What's the matter with it?

Why won't it close its eyes?
What's the matter with it?




Who are those guys?
What's the matter with it

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rickie Lee Jones's song "Roadkill" are introspective and have several layers of meanings. The song begins with a series of questions about what is the matter with something and what it is trying to say. It is unclear if this "something" is a person, an animal, or an object. The questioning sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is about the mystery of life and the future.


The second part of the song narrates a story of a mystical vision that is on its way to a long-awaited occasion. As the vision crosses the road, it is hit by a big red car with black tires, seemingly ending its journey. At this point, Jones sings about the moonlight on the hill that lights up the road kill. This striking imagery represents the inevitability of fate, and how even something as small as a roadkill can have an impact on the future.


The final lines of the song continue the questioning, asking what is the matter with the roadkill and why it won't go away. This repetition serves as a reminder to listeners that life is a mystery and that some questions may never be answered.


Line by Line Meaning

What's the matter with it?
Questioning the current condition of something or someone


Why's it look that way?
Wondering about the appearance of the thing or person


What's it trying to say?
Questioning the motive or message behind the thing or person


What's that on its back?
Observing something unusual or significant


Where's it trying to go?
Curious about the direction or destination of the thing or person


A mystical vision got dressed up one night
Describing a beautiful and mysterious sight


Locked the door, walked through the misty porch light
Setting the mystical vision in a specific environment


Headed over to somebody's house
Detailing the movement of the mystical vision


For an occasion long awaited
Implying the event that the mystical vision is attending is important


As it crossed the road, vista del mar
Depicting the mystical vision crossing a scenic road


A big red car
Describing the appearance of a car


Big black tires, nice corvette
Further describing the car


And the future has not arrived yet
Suggesting uncertainty about the future


Moonlight on the hill,
Describing the setting of the scene


Lights up the road kill
Illuminating a dead animal on the road


And the future is a road kill
Metaphorically comparing the uncertainty of the future to the dead animal on the road


I just saw it yesterday
Noting a recent sighting of the thing or person


The police came, the neighbors too
Relaying a response to the unusual thing or person


They tried to pick it up,
Efforts to remove the thing or person from the scene


What else can you do?
Implying the futility of removing the thing or person


Meanwhile, somebody's waiting back at the house
Introducing another character in the story


For the future to dawn bright across the sky
Expressing hope for a promising future


Lights up the future
Still hoping for a brighter future despite the uncertainty


Why won't it go away?
Questioning the persistence of the thing or person


Why won't it close its eyes?
Personifying the thing as if it has agency


Who are those guys?
Noticing unfamiliar people in the scene




Lyrics Ā© RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICKIE LEE JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Felice Marie Berkley


on It Must Be Love

One of my fav. songs..!

Felice Marie Berkley


on Comin' Back To Me

Very pretty song.

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