Road To Nowhere
Talking Heads David Byrne Jerry Harrison Andrew Cader & Eric 'ET' Thorngren Lyrics
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But we don't know where we've been
And we know what we're knowin'
But we can't say what we've seen
And we're not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is certain
Give us time to work it out
We're on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin' that ride to nowhere
We'll take that ride
I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
And you know,
We're on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go
Maybe you wonder where you are
I don't care
Here is where time is on our side
Take you there... take you there
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
We're on a road to nowhere
There's a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
And it's very far away
But it's growing day by day
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
They can tell you what to do
But they'll make a fool of you
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
We're on a road to nowhere
"Road to Nowhere" by Talking Heads is an existential song that speaks about the uncertainty of life and the journey that we all have to undertake. The song suggests that although we know where we are going, we don't know where we have been, which means that we don't have a complete grasp of our past to understand the present or envisage the future. The lyrics assert that we might have knowledge of a few things, but we can't articulate some of the significant things we have seen. This statement may mean that after an event occurs, we might not be able to put it into words, even though we have seen it happen.
The chorus of the song is captivating and describes a journey that leads to nowhere, but everyone is welcome to come along. The singer insists that it's okay not to know where you are headed as long as you are on your way. The "road to paradise" is also mentioned in the verse, which could mean that the journey itself is more important than the destination.
Lyrics in the verse suggest that there is a city in the singer's mind, which could represent his imagination or dreams. He invites everyone to take the ride with him, suggesting that the journey will be alright. The song suggests that people in positions of power might try to control and direct individuals, but eventually, you will be led nowhere. Overall, the song appears to be about the journey of life and how we should enjoy the ride rather than focusing on the destination.
Line by Line Meaning
Well we know where we're goin'
We have a destination in mind
But we don't know where we've been
However, we don't know where we've been before reaching our destination
And we know what we're knowin'
We have knowledge of what we know
But we can't say what we've seen
Although, we can't explain what we've experienced
And we're not little children
We're not naive or inexperienced
And we know what we want
We have an idea of what we desire
And the future is certain
We're confident that the future will unfold as we anticipated it to be
Give us time to work it out
Let's take time to figure things out
We're on a road to nowhere
We're not sure where exactly we're headed
Come on inside
Join us on this journey
Takin' that ride to nowhere
We're embracing this journey to who knows where
We'll take that ride
We're willing to take chances and explore new things
I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
I'm feeling content and satisfied this morning
And you know,
Furthermore,
We're on the road to paradise
We believe that our destination is a perfect and ideal place
Here we go, here we go
We're eager and excited to continue our journey
Maybe you wonder where you are
Perhaps you're uncertain of your current situation
I don't care
But that doesn't matter to me
Here is where time is on our side
We have plenty of time to figure things out here
Take you there... take you there
We can lead you to where we are
There's a city in my mind
I have a desired destination in my thoughts
Come along and take that ride
Join us and let's explore together
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
We're comfortable with uncertainty and the unknown
And it's very far away
Our goal is quite a distance away
But it's growing day by day
But we're getting closer every day
They can tell you what to do
Others may try to persuade you to follow their path
But they'll make a fool of you
But blindly following someone else's direction may lead to disappointment
And it's all right, baby, it's all right
However, we're okay with making our own decisions and potentially making mistakes
Contributed by Ethan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.