Rubberneck
Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Rubberneck, over there
Take a picture, don't stare
Bet you can't look away
You can get a life any day

Pick a panorama
Post an instagram, aw
This was someone's grandma
What's it matter now
What's the chatter now?

Rubberneck, click go
You got a right to know
Every ugly detail
Get it retail
Ready, tell

Hey you, look at me
I'm on the loose, I'm an insect
Zoom out, move in tight
You got a right
To your rubberneck

Rubberneck, over here
You look, I'll steer
Get a little closer
Get every nose hair

If there's nothing here to see
Why they stretching out the tape?
You're agape rubbernecking
Lift the cape, flash,
Wait a second

Hey you, is it dead?
I never said you could bottleneck
Zoom out, move in tight
You got a right
To your rubberneck

Hey fool, click a link
We're gonna send you on a train wreck
Power down, hands off brakes
I got your eyesight
You got the shakes

So what'll it be now?
What do you see now?
In the surreal now
We're screening

Rubber check, bounce
Rubber soul, bounce
Where'd they go?
If a soul weighs an ounce
Who can fetch it?

Go on, catch it if you can
Son of Man knows better
We can reconnect
Body and soul
We can resurrect

We've got the goal
A virtual soul

Now zoom out
Move in tight
You got a right
To your rubberneck

Hey fool, click a link
We're comin' on another train wreck
Zoom in, nice and tight
We've got the right to your
To your...

Hey you
Click here
We've got the goal
A virtual soul

Hey you
Click here
We've got the goal
A virtual soul

Hey you
Click here
We've got the goal
A virtual soul

Hey you
Click here




We've got the goal
A virtual soul

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rubberneck" by Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil criticize our culture's obsession with gawking at tragedies, misfortunes, and scandals. The song exposes society's appetite for sensationalism and how technology has facilitated this practice. The words "Rubberneck, over there/Take a picture, don't stare/Bet you can't look away/You can get a life any day" reveal how people's gratification in peering into the private lives of others has become a hobby. The line "Every ugly detail/Get it retail" implies that people are continuously seeking out more shocking and tragic stories to satisfy their craving.


The lyrics suggest that this behavior is causing us to become desensitized to violence and death. The words "If there's nothing here to see/Why they stretching out the tape?/You're agape rubbernecking/Lift the cape, flash, wait a second" implies that the media is prolonging coverage of events to entice people to gawk longer, thereby exposing them to further horror. The song concludes with the lyrics "We've got the goal/A virtual soul," suggesting that we have become so consumed with technology that we have lost sight of our humanity.


Line by Line Meaning

Rubberneck, over there
Look over there


Take a picture, don't stare
Don't just stare, take a picture


Bet you can't look away
You can't resist watching it


You can get a life any day
You can focus on your own life anytime


Pick a panorama
Choose a good view


Post an instagram, aw
Share it on Instagram


This was someone's grandma
Remember that was somebody's grandma or someone's personal moment


What's it matter now
Why does it matter now?


What's the chatter now?
What are people saying about it now?


Rubberneck, click go
Watch and click to take pictures


You got a right to know
You have the right to know what's happening


Every ugly detail
Every disturbing detail


Get it retail
Get it as quickly as possible


Ready, tell
Ready to share?


Hey you, look at me
Look at me


I'm on the loose, I'm an insect
I am everywhere and hard to control


Zoom out, move in tight
Take a wider view, then zoom in


You got a right
You have permission


To your rubberneck
To watch and take pictures


Rubberneck, over here
Watch over here


You look, I'll steer
Watch and I'll drive


Get a little closer
Come a bit closer


Get every nose hair
See every detail


If there's nothing here to see
If there's nothing interesting happening


Why they stretching out the tape?
Why are they putting up barricades?


You're agape rubbernecking
You're staring with your mouth open


Lift the cape, flash, wait a second
Move the covering, take a picture, but wait a moment


Hey you, is it dead?
Is it dead?


I never said you could bottleneck
I didn't give you permission to block other people's way


Zoom out, move in tight
Take a wider view, then zoom in


Hey fool, click a link
Click the link, silly


We're gonna send you on a train wreck
Get ready for a disaster


Power down, hands off brakes
Prepare to stop but don't actually stop


I got your eyesight
I am controlling what you see


You got the shakes
You are trembling with excitement


So what'll it be now?
What do you want now?


What do you see now?
What do you perceive now?


In the surreal now
In this strange, unreal moment


We're screening
We're watching and recording


Rubber check, bounce
Double-check and recoil


Rubber soul, bounce
Flexible spirit, bounce


Where'd they go?
Where did they disappear?


If a soul weighs an ounce
If a soul is weightless


Who can fetch it?
Who can retrieve it?


Go on, catch it if you can
Try to capture it


Son of Man knows better
Jesus Christ knows best


We can reconnect
We can connect again


Body and soul
Physical and spiritual self


We can resurrect
We can bring back to life


We've got the goal
We have the objective


A virtual soul
An online spirit


Now zoom out
Take a wider view now


Move in tight
Zoom in now


Hey fool, click a link
Click the link, silly


We're comin' on another train wreck
A disaster is coming


We've got the right to your
We have the permission to control


To your...
To watch and take pictures


Hey you
You there


Click here
Click on this


We've got the goal
We have the objective


A virtual soul
An online spirit


Hey you
You there


Click here
Click on this


We've got the goal
We have the objective


A virtual soul
An online spirit


Hey you
You there


Click here
Click on this


We've got the goal
We have the objective


A virtual soul
An online spirit


Hey you
You there


Click here
Click on this


We've got the goal
We have the objective


A virtual soul
An online spirit




Contributed by Oliver G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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