Styx is best known for the hit songs "Lady", "Come Sail Away", "Babe", "Boat on the River", "The Best of Times", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "Renegade" and "Mr. Roboto". The band has had four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.
One Way Out
Styx Lyrics
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Lord, I just can't go out that door
Ain't but one way out
Lord, I just can't go out that door
There's a man down there
Might be your man, I won't know
Lord, you got me trapped woman
If I get out this time
I won't be trapped no more
So raise our window, baby
I can ease out soft and slow
Hey, your neighbors
Won't be talking stuff they don't know
Come on, boys
I'm foolish to be here in the first place
Know some man gonna walk in and take my place
Ain't no way in the world
I'm walking out that front door
'Cause there's a man down there
Might be your man, I don't know
'Cause there's a man down there
Might be your man, I don't know
The lyrics to Styx's song One Way Out convey a sense of desperation and fear for the singer who is stuck in a difficult situation. The repeated lines "Ain't but one way out, Lord, I just can't go out that door" create a sense of claustrophobia and entrapment. The singer is aware that there is someone down there who might be waiting for him, but he doesn't know who it is, which adds to his anxiety. The stanza "Lord, you got me trapped woman, On the second floor, If I get out this time, I won't be trapped no more" creates a sense of hopelessness and the desire for escape.
The chorus "So raise our window, baby, I can ease out soft and slow, Hey, your neighbors, Won't be talking stuff they don't know" shows the singer's plan to escape through the window, slowly and quietly, without attracting attention from the neighbors. The final stanza "I'm foolish to be here in the first place, Know some man gonna walk in and take my place, Ain't no way in the world, I'm walking out that front door" shows the singer's realization that he shouldn't have been there in the first place, and he believes that someone is going to come and harm him. The fear and desperation in the lyrics are conveyed through the music, which is a combination of blues, rock, and soul.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't but one way out
There is only one possible route of escape or exit
Lord, I just can't go out that door
I am unable to leave through that particular doorway or exit
There's a man down there
There is an unknown man present in this location
Might be your man, I won't know
I cannot confirm whether or not that man belongs to you
Lord, you got me trapped woman
My current situation is caused by your actions, woman
On the second floor
I am currently located on the second floor of this building
If I get out this time
Assuming that I am successful in my escape attempt
I won't be trapped no more
I will no longer be caught in this unwanted situation
So raise our window, baby
Please open the window to provide me with a way out
I can ease out soft and slow
I will attempt to exit as quietly and smoothly as possible
Hey, your neighbors
The people living close to this building
Won't be talking stuff they don't know
They will not be able to make baseless assumptions or guesses regarding the situation
Come on, boys
Let's go or hurry up, guys
I'm foolish to be here in the first place
I made an unwise decision by coming here initially
Know some man gonna walk in and take my place
I am aware that someone else may replace me in this situation
Ain't no way in the world
There is absolutely no possibility
I'm walking out that front door
I am leaving through the main entrance
'Cause there's a man down there
The presence of an unknown man is preventing me from leaving through that exit
Might be your man, I don't know
I am uncertain whether or not that man belongs to you
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.