In 1998, the band Santana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Carlos Santana, José "Chepito" Areas, David Brown, Gregg Rolie, Mike Carabello, and Michael Shrieve The band has earned nine Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, the latter all in 2000. Carlos Santana won a Grammy Award as a solo artist in 1988. The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling groups of all time. In 2013, Santana announced a reunion of the classic line-up for a new album, Santana IV, which was released in April 2016. They are tied for having the most won Grammy Awards in one night.
Under the bridge
Santana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in, the city of angels
Lonely as I am, together we cry
I drive on her streets, 'cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills, 'cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds, and she kisses me windy
And I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way, yeah
Yeah, yeah
It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there
It's hard to believe that I'm all alone
At least I have her love, the city, she loves me
Lonely as I am, together we cry
Well, I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
Well, I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no, no
Yeah, yeah
Love me, I said
Yeah, yeah
One time
Under the bridge downtown
Is where I drew some blood
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Oh, no, no, no
Yeah, yeah
Love me, I said
Yeah, yeah
Will I stay?
The lyrics of Santana's "Under the Bridge" depict the singer's profound sense of isolation and loneliness despite being in the midst of a bustling city. He feels like he doesn't have anyone to turn to and no one who truly understands him. He expresses a fondness for the city, describing it as his companion and the only friend he has. He drives on her streets, walks through her hills and feels as though she sees and acknowledges his good deeds. As he confesses "well, I never worry, now that is a lie", it's clear that he's not really content with his current situation.
He longs for the feeling of being loved unconditionally and to find a sense of direction in his life. The verses repeat lines such as "Take me to the place I love, Take me all the way" and "I don't ever want to feel like I did that day" in a way that suggests he's searching for a way out of his current situation.
The chorus brings the listener to the titular under the bridge, where the singer says he drew some blood and gave his life away - this could be interpreted as him hitting rock bottom and losing himself. The last line - "Will I stay?" - is ambiguous, as it could be interpretated as him questioning whether he will find a way out of his despair, or if he will remain stuck in his current state.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
At times, I feel lonely and as if I have nobody to rely on.
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
This is how lonely I feel; to the extent that I think I don't have any friends except for the city I live in.
Is the city I live in, the city of angels
Despite how lonely I feel, the city I live in brings me peace, and I believe the city itself is an angel.
Lonely as I am, together we cry
It may be that I feel alone, but the city I live in also has its fair share of things to cry about.
I drive on her streets, 'cause she's my companion
Sometimes I take drives through the city because I feel at home on its roads. It's the only 'person' I can consider a companion these days.
I walk through her hills, 'cause she knows who I am
Walking on the city's hills is a reminder of how familiar the city is to me as it understands me.
She sees my good deeds, and she kisses me windy
Like a loving partner, the city seems to be proud of my deeds and rewards me by greeting me with the wind's gentle kiss.
Well, I never worry, now that is a lie
Despite what I said earlier, it's not accurate; I worry all the time, and it's a lie to say otherwise.
And I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
The artist never wants to feel like the day when they experienced intense pain and loneliness.
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way
The artist hopes to find comfort in the place they feel the most love and wants to go there again.
It's hard to believe that there's nobody out there
It's difficult for the singer to accept that there are no people around to connect with and offer support.
It's hard to believe that I'm all alone
Due to their companionship with the city, it seems odd to the artist that they feel so lonely.
At least I have her love, the city, she loves me
The singer finds solace in feeling that the city loves them and provides them with some level of care.
Under the bridge downtown
Is where I drew some blood
The singer is providing a literal location where they physically felt pain under a bridge downtown.
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Being under that bridge gave the singer some kind of satisfaction, and they wanted to return there.
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
In this location, the artist was wholly consumed with their intense feelings of pain and love for another person.
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away, yeah
Metaphorically speaking, when the artist went under the bridge, it was as though they gave away a significant part of their life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, MoeBeToBlame, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Michael Peter Balzary, John Anthony Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Gaylord Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind