Caroline Avenue
Tarkio Lyrics
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Were they true?
‘Cause I haven't got a clue
And wouldn't know if they were not true
‘Cause I am here, paper doll
And I am waiting for your call
But I won't wait until tomorrow
When you're in my shoes
But I'm tired of riding shotgun for you
As we glide down Caroline Avenue
Time will tell you
That you're thinking that you're right when you are wrong
And I'm thinking that this evening won't last long, no no,
‘Cause I'm getting pretty tired of you waxing so inspired
‘Bout the lights down Caroline Avenue
Serves you right
To feel this way
To be so clinically deranged
And I won't stand for all of your bullshit
So take your time,
‘Cause we've got time
Remember, what is yours is mine
Don't let it slide by the wayside
Reeling from the tension,
It's all ending here
And I'm chasing shots of whiskey
With Everclear
As we glide down Caroline Avenue
Time will tell you
That you're thinking that you're right when you are wrong
And I'm thinking that this evening won't last long, no no,
‘Cause I'm getting pretty tired of you waxing so inspired
‘Bout the lights down Caroline Avenue
And you're trying so hard
But it takes more than just flipping off traffic cops
To impress me
You underestimate me
Emptied out
Falling free
It will all catch up with me
And I am in control and patient
But I will wait ‘til you decide
It's all over, bar the tide
And I will stay behind ‘til you decide
Carry me ‘til daylight
When your wisdom fails
‘Til tomorrow finds me shoeless in jail
As we glide down Caroline Avenue
Time will tell you
That you're thinking that you're right when you are wrong
And I'm thinking that this evening won't last long, no no,
‘Cause I'm getting pretty tired of you waxing so inspired
‘Bout the lights down Caroline Avenue
In "Caroline Avenue" by Tarkio, the singer is feeling uncertain about the truthfulness of the things their partner has said. They wonder whether they truly believe what they've been told or if they've just been accepting things blindly. The singer refers to themselves as a "paper doll," suggesting they feel fragile and easily manipulated. They've been waiting for their partner to call but won't wait forever. They're tired of always taking a back seat and feeling like they're being taken for granted.
As the two of them ride down Caroline Avenue, the singer reflects that their partner thinks they're always right, even when they're not. They feel this evening won't last very long and they're getting tired of their partner's big talk about the lights on Caroline Avenue.
Later in the song, the singer confronts their partner, telling them they won't stand for their partner's "bullshit." Although they do admit that what belongs to their partner technically belongs to them as well, they won't let the relationship slide by the wayside. They're chasing shots of whiskey with Everclear, implying they're trying to numb their feelings. They're taking back control and are waiting for their partner to decide whether the relationship should end, vowing to stay behind until they do.
One can interpret the song as a reflection of a struggling relationship where one partner feels unheard and unimportant to the other. The lyrics also suggest an imbalance in power dynamics, where one partner seems to be taking the other for granted, leading to feelings of resentment and disillusionment.
Line by Line Meaning
The things you said
Did you really mean what you said?
Were they true?
Were your words honest and sincere?
‘Cause I haven't got a clue
I'm not sure what to believe.
And wouldn't know if they were not true
I wouldn't even know if you were lying.
‘Cause I am here, paper doll
I am fragile and vulnerable.
And I am waiting for your call
I am hoping you will reach out to me.
But I won't wait until tomorrow
I'm not going to wait around forever.
So hard to mention
It's difficult to talk about.
When you're in my shoes
If you were in my position.
But I'm tired of riding shotgun for you
I'm tired of being a passenger in your life.
As we glide down Caroline Avenue
As we move along the road of life.
Time will tell you
Eventually you will realize.
That you're thinking that you're right when you are wrong
You're convinced you're right, but you're not.
And I'm thinking that this evening won't last long, no no,
I don't think we can keep going like this much longer.
‘Cause I'm getting pretty tired of you waxing so inspired
I'm tired of hearing you talk so enthusiatically.
‘Bout the lights down Caroline Avenue
About the things that don't really matter.
Serves you right
You deserve what's happening to you.
To feel this way
To be struggling emotionally.
To be so clinically deranged
To have some serious psychological issues.
And I won't stand for all of your bullshit
I won't put up with your lies and nonsense.
So take your time,
Don't rush into anything.
‘Cause we've got time
We don't need to hurry.
Remember, what is yours is mine
We are in this together.
Don't let it slide by the wayside
Don't let our relationship fall apart.
Reeling from the tension,
Struggling with the stress.
It's all ending here
Our relationship is coming to an end.
And I'm chasing shots of whiskey
Trying to numb the pain with alcohol.
With Everclear
A type of alcohol with high alcohol content.
And you're trying so hard
You're putting in a lot of effort.
But it takes more than just flipping off traffic cops
You need to do more than just rebel against authority.
To impress me
To make me happy or satisfied.
You underestimate me
You don't understand me very well.
Emptied out
Feeling drained.
Falling free
Losing control.
It will all catch up with me
My actions will have consequences.
And I am in control and patient
I'm trying to stay calm and in control.
But I will wait ‘til you decide
I'll wait for you to make a decision.
It's all over, bar the tide
Our relationship is done, like the tide going out.
And I will stay behind ‘til you decide
I'll be here for you until you figure things out.
Carry me ‘til daylight
Stay with me until morning comes.
When your wisdom fails
When you're not sure what to do.
‘Til tomorrow finds me shoeless in jail
Until I find myself in a bad situation.
Contributed by Caroline E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.