Night Drive
The All‐American Rejects Lyrics

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I know you
So better than the city in the rear view
I drive to
Eliminate the ball that I'm chained to

Take me break me
Every mile further there's a part of me that slips away
One day you'll see

Even if you got down on your knees you couldn't make me stay

Drive all night
Never gonna get me
Night by night
To get away from it all
Fight fight fight
All you want to do is hurt me
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night

Pulse stays strong
I'm pushing on the pedal til I break dawn
So I'm gone, go find another shoulder you can cry on

Take me break me
Every mile further there's a part of me that slips away
One day you'll see
Even if you got down on your knees you couldn't make me stay

Drive all night
Never gonna get me
Night by night
To get away from it all
Fight fight fight
All you want to do is hurt me
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night
You wrecked my life
So I'm going to have to drive all night

All of the things that you knew that I'd try
All of the things that I held inside
All I gotta do is drive

Drive all night
Never gonna get me
Night by night
To get away from it all
Fight fight fight
All you want to do is hurt me
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night
You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night

You wrecked my life
So I'm gonna have to drive all night

Overall Meaning

The All-American Rejects' song "Night Drive" is about escaping a toxic relationship and moving on with life. The song's narrator is driving away from someone, knowing them so well that they can see the city disappearing in the rearview mirror. The person they are leaving behind is holding them back like a ball and chain, and the singer is determined to break free from them. They sing about how with every mile they drive, they feel like they are shedding a part of themselves to leave the negativity behind.

The lyrics are clear in their resolution to leave behind hurtful individuals and situations, as the singer believes that the person they are leaving behind cannot make them stay, even if they begged on their knees. "Night Drive" is a song about standing up for oneself and breaking free of harmful influences, even if that means going on a long drive in the middle of the night to escape it all.

Overall, the song is a testament to the strength it takes to leave something bad behind, even when it's difficult, and standing up for oneself. It's a song for anyone who has ever felt trapped in a situation or relationship and needs the inspiration to move on and make a new start.

Line by Line Meaning

I know you
I am familiar with you and your ways

So better than the city in the rear view
I know you better than the city that I am leaving behind

I drive to
I am driving in order to

Eliminate the ball that I'm chained to
Get rid of the burden that's been holding me down

Take me break me
I'm ready and willing to be taken and broken

Every mile further there's a part of me that slips away
With every mile I put between us, a piece of me is lost

One day you'll see
Someday you'll understand

Even if you got down on your knees you couldn't make me stay
No matter how much you plead, I won't stay

Drive all night
I'll keep driving throughout the night

Never gonna get me
You'll never catch me

Night by night
Every night