Indianapolis
The Bottle Rockets Lyrics


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Got a tow from a guy named Joe
Cost sixty dollars hope I don't run out of dough
Told me bout a sex offense 'put him three days in jail
Stuck in Indianapolis, hope I live to tell the tale

[Chorus]
Can't go west, can't go east
I'm stuck in Indianapolis with a fuel pump that's deceased
Ten days on the road now I'm four hours from my home town
Is this hell or Indianapolis with no way to get around

Called my girl to tell her of the trouble that I'd had
First time I called her in ten days, guess that made her mad
Far as she's concerned I belong in this Hoosier state
Stuck in Indianapolis with no way to set things straight

[Chorus]

Sitting in this bar is getting more than I can stand
If I could catch a ride I really think I'd ditch this van
Who knows what this repair will cost, scared to spend a dime
I'll puke if that jukebox plays John Cougar one more time

If I ever leave here I hope never to return
If I get that van back, Man, the road I'm gonna burn
Right now my future's in the hand of them boys down at Firestone
Stuck in Indianapolis feeling all alone





[Chorus]
Is this hell or Indianapolis with no way to get aroun

Overall Meaning

The Bottle Rockets' song "Indianapolis" tells the story of a man who is stuck in the city due to car trouble. He got a tow from a man named Joe, which cost him a lot of money and now he is running out of cash. To make matters worse, he finds out that the tow truck driver has a criminal record for a sex offense. The man is feeling trapped and hopes he will make it out of the city alive.


The chorus highlights the man's frustration as he realizes he is stuck in Indianapolis with a broken fuel pump. He is ten days away from home and feels like he's in hell. He can't go west or east, so he is stuck in the city with no way to get around. He calls his girlfriend to tell her about his problem, but she is angry that he hasn't called her in ten days. She believes he belongs in the Hoosier state.


Sitting in a bar, the man can't take it anymore as he listens to John Cougar Mellencamp play on the jukebox. He is scared to spend more money, as he doesn't know how much the car repair will cost. He hopes to never return to Indianapolis and plans to burn rubber when he gets his car back. The man is feeling alone and helpless, with his future in the hands of the mechanics at Firestone.


Line by Line Meaning

Got a tow from a guy named Joe
I got some help from a stranger named Joe.


Cost sixty dollars hope I don't run out of dough
It cost me sixty dollars and now I'm worried about running out of money.


Told me bout a sex offense 'put him three days in jail
Joe shared his story of being in jail for a sex offense for a few days.


Stuck in Indianapolis, hope I live to tell the tale
I'm now stranded in Indianapolis and hoping to survive this situation.


Can't go west, can't go east
I'm unable to leave Indianapolis and move towards my destination, whether it's west or east.


I'm stuck in Indianapolis with a fuel pump that's deceased
Having a broken fuel pump has left me stranded in Indianapolis.


Ten days on the road now I'm four hours from my home town
After being on the road for ten days, I've only managed to get four hours closer to my hometown.


Is this hell or Indianapolis with no way to get around
I'm questioning if this is hell or just Indianapolis, as I have no means of transportation to leave the city.


Called my girl to tell her of the trouble that I'd had
I called my girlfriend to update her on the situation I'm in.


First time I called her in ten days, guess that made her mad
It's been ten days since I last spoke to my girlfriend and she seems angry about it.


Far as she's concerned I belong in this Hoosier state
My girlfriend thinks I deserve to be stuck in Indianapolis.


Stuck in Indianapolis with no way to set things straight
I'm stranded in Indianapolis and unable to resolve any issues or make things right with my girlfriend.


Sitting in this bar is getting more than I can stand
Spending time at this bar is becoming unbearable for me.


If I could catch a ride I really think I'd ditch this van
If I could find a way to leave this place, I would abandon this van.


Who knows what this repair will cost, scared to spend a dime
I'm afraid of the cost of repairs and hesitant to spend any money.


I'll puke if that jukebox plays John Cougar one more time
If the jukebox plays another song by John Cougar, I'll feel nauseated and sick.


If I ever leave here I hope never to return
If I finally manage to leave Indianapolis, I never want to come back.


If I get that van back, Man, the road I'm gonna burn
When I finally retrieve my van, I'm going to be unstoppable and continue my journey with full force.


Right now my future's in the hand of them boys down at Firestone
At the moment, the guys at Firestone have control over my future and whether or not I'll be able to leave Indianapolis.


Stuck in Indianapolis feeling all alone
I'm stranded in Indianapolis and feeling lonely and isolated.


Is this hell or Indianapolis with no way to get around
I'm still uncertain if this is hell or just me being stuck in Indianapolis with no means of transportation.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN HENNEMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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