killing me
Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3 Lyrics
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And he pushed the pedal down
I was in the back with a bag of chips
Wondering who was still around
Bobby hit the lock, he made damn sure
I couldn't get to the door
Child-proof, Red Roof, rear-view mirror
I'm in the back
In a burlap sack
Near the county line
I wasn't cursed
Like Patty Hearst
Lord, do your worst
You're killing me
The lyrics to Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3's song “Killing Me” tell the story of a man named Bobby who is driving recklessly under the influence of drugs while the singer is in the backseat. The first verse sets the scene with Bobby doing a line of drugs and speeding with the singer in the backseat munching on chips. Things quickly escalate as Bobby locks the car doors and forces the singer into submission. He then passes out on the floor, leaving the singer kidnapped and lost in a burlap sack near the county line. The chorus of the song emphasizes the man’s feelings of desperation and the idea that he is slowly dying.
The second verse is loaded with tension as the singer is struggling to come to his senses and figure out what to do. It alludes to the famous kidnapping of Patty Hearst and the idea of Stockholm Syndrome. The line “I wasn't cursed like Patty Hearst, Lord do your worst” suggests that he may be starting to empathize or connect with his kidnapper. The song leaves the ending ambiguous, but the man is clearly in a very dangerous and potentially life-ending situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Bobby did a line from the back of his hand
Bobby snorted drugs from his hand
And he pushed the pedal down
He accelerated the vehicle
I was in the back with a bag of chips
I was in the backseat with a bag of chips
Wondering who was still around
Curiously thinking about who else was there
Bobby hit the lock, he made damn sure
Bobby locked the door securely
I couldn't get to the door
I was unable to open the locked door
Child-proof, Red Roof, rear-view mirror
Describing the car's safety features
I passed out on the floor
I became unconscious and fell to the floor
I'm in the back
Still in the backseat
In a burlap sack
Wrapped in a coarse, woven fabric sack
Near the county line
Close to the border separating two counties
I wasn't cursed
I didn't have a curse or misfortune
Like Patty Hearst
Comparing the singer's situation to that of a famous kidnapping victim
Lord, do your worst
Expression of a willingness to accept whatever comes next
You're killing me
You're causing me harm or pain
Contributed by Benjamin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.