Ticket To Ride
The Beatles orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I think I'm gonna be sad,
I think it's today, yeah.
The girl that's driving me mad
Is going away.

She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,

But she don't care.

She said that living with me
Is bringing her down yeah.
For she would never be free
When I was around.

She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.

I don't know why she's ridin' so high,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
Before she gets to saying goodbye,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.

I think I'm gonna' be sad,
I think it's today yeah.
The girl that's driving me mad
Is going away, yeah.

She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.

I don't know why she's ridin' so high,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me.
Before she gets to saying goodbye,
She ought to think twice,
She ought to do right by me
.
She said that living with me,
Is bringing her down, yeah.
For she would never be free
When I was around.

Ah, she's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.

My baby don't care, my baby don't care.

My baby don't care, my baby don't care.
My baby don't care, my baby don't care.

Overall Meaning

The song Ticket to Ride by The Beatles describes the feelings of a man whose girlfriend is leaving him, even though he feels that she should stay with him. The opening lines “I think I’m gonna be sad, I think it’s today, yeah, the girl that’s driving me mad is going away” express the sadness and anxiety that the singer feels as his lover departs. This is followed by the chorus of “She’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care” which shows the indifference and lack of consideration that the girlfriend has towards her partner as she is leaving.

Throughout the song, the man tries to persuade his girlfriend to rethink her decision and stay with him. He argues that she should think twice and do right by him before she goes. However, the girlfriend’s mind is made up, and she maintains that living with him is bringing her down and that she will never be free when he is around. The final lyrics “My baby don’t care” repeat the man's disappointment and frustration that his partner has chosen to leave him.

Overall, the song captures the heartache of a relationship coming to an end, emphasizing the man's feelings of rejection and his attempts to convince his girlfriend to stay.

Line by Line Meaning

I think I'm gonna be sad,
I feel like I'm going to be sad

I think it's today, yeah.
I think my sadness is going to happen today

The girl that's driving me mad
The girl who is making me crazy

Is going away.
Is leaving

She's got a ticket to ride,
She has a train ticket to leave

But she don't care.
But she doesn't care about my feelings

She said that living with me
She stated that living with me is a problem for her

Is bringing her down yeah.
Is making her unhappy

For she would never be free
She doesn't feel free to be herself

When I was around.
When I'm with her

I don't know why she's ridin' so high,
I don't know why she's so happy