Leaving Las Vegas
Sheryl Crow Lyrics

Life springs eternal
Despite the gaudiness of the neon street, hope and vitality are still present

On a gaudy neon street
The street is covered in bright, flashy lights

Not that I care at all
The singer is not interested in the street's attractions

I spent the best part of my losing streak
The artist has hit a low point in their life and has been struggling for some time

In an army Jeep
The artist's memory of their past is hazy and they cannot fully remember the events that brought them to this point

For what I can't recall
The singer has gaps in their memory and cannot fully remember the events that led up to their current situation

Oh I'm banging on my TV set
The singer is frustrated and possibly addicted to gambling

And I check the odds
The artist is obsessively checking the chances of winning

And I, and I place my bet
The artist is compulsively betting on games of chance

I pour a drink
The artist drinks alcohol as a way to cope with their problems

And I pull the blinds
The singer wants to block out the outside world and focus on their own troubles

And I wonder what I'll find
The artist is uncertain about their future and what they will discover about themselves

I'm leaving Las Vegas
The singer has made the decision to leave their current life behind and start anew

The lights so bright
The neon lights of Las Vegas are dazzling and overwhelming

Palm sweat, blackjack
The singer engages in risky behavior, such as gambling, that causes them to feel anxious

On a Saturday night
The artist is living recklessly with no regard for long-term consequences

Leaving for good, for good
The artist is leaving Las Vegas forever and starting a new life

Used to be I could drive
The singer reminisces about the past when they had more freedom and fewer problems

Up to Barstow for the night
The singer used to take impulsive trips and live in the moment

Find some crossroad trucker
The artist used to seek out new experiences with strangers

To demonstrate his might
The artist was drawn to thrill-seekers and individuals who lived on the edge

But these days it seems that
The artist realizes that their old ways of living are no longer sustainable

Nowhere is far enough away
The singer cannot escape their problems no matter how far they travel

So I'm leaving Las Vegas today
The artist is making a break from their old life and starting over

I'm standing in the middle of the desert
The singer is feeling lost and uncertain about their future

Waiting for my ship to come in
The singer hopes that their fortunes will change for the better

But now no joker, no jack, no king
The singer realizes that they cannot rely on luck or other people to improve their situation

Can take this loser hand
The artist acknowledges that they are responsible for their own problems

And make it win
The artist cannot rely on anyone else to save them; they must save themselves

Quit my job as a dancer
The singer used to work in a profession that required them to use their physical appearance as a commodity

At the Lido Des Girls
The singer used to work in a location that objectified women

And we're dealing blackjack until one or two
The artist has become embroiled in the seedy world of gambling

Such a muddy line between
The artist is struggling to differentiate between what they want to do and what they feel they have to do

The things you want
The artist is torn between their desires and their responsibilities

And the things you have to do
The singer feels obligated to engage in certain behaviors in order to survive

And I won't be back
The artist is sure that they will not return to Las Vegas or their old life

No, no
The singer is resolute in their decision to start anew

No, I won't be back
The singer is certain that leaving Las Vegas is the right decision for them

Not this time
The singer has tried to leave Las Vegas before and failed, but this time they are committed to success