Driving South
The Early November Lyrics


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I have this friend who was born again.
Every morning he wakes relieved of his sins.
Oh, after hours of losing himself,
He gets to his knees and he prays for his health.

And to the palm trees and driving south.
It's in the waves where we find ourselves,
Back at the ocean to meet with dirt where we will wait and find ourselves.
And we will talk in ways that life has been so mean.
And see, there's always someone, always stepping on me.
Oh please, please, please, tell me.

Oh wake me, wake me, But don't tell me I'm lazy when I,
Pull the covers back over my face.
Oh wake me, wake me, because we're all going crazy,
And we're always preaching that everyone's wrong.

And to the palm trees and driving south.
It's in the the waves where we find ourselves,
Back at the ocean to meet with dirt where we will wait to find ourselves.
So we can talk of ways that life has been so mean.




And see there's always someone, always stepping on me.
Oh please, please, please, tell me.

Overall Meaning

The Early November's "Driving South" is a song about finding solace and healing in a friend's religious faith and the freedom and peace that can be found in venting out one's frustrations at the beach. The lyrics describe the singer's friend who was "born again" and lives a life free of sin since he prays every morning for his health. The singer finds comfort in his friend's faith, but also recognizes that life can be cruel and unfair sometimes, and there's always someone stepping on them. The lyrics are an honest depiction of the struggles of everyday life, and the need for human connection and hope to get through them.


The chorus of the song repeatedly mentions "palm trees" and "driving south" as a way to escape from the stresses of life. The singer and his friend find solace in the waves at the beach, where they can talk and express their frustrations, and wait to find themselves. They talk about how life has been mean and how everyone is always wrong, but being able to share their feelings with each other offers them some level of comfort. The lyrics also reference the feeling of laziness that can come with depression, but the singer pleads to be woken up and not judged for feeling that way.


Line by Line Meaning

I have this friend who was born again.
The singer has a friend who has been religiously 'reborn', possibly as a born-again Christian.


Every morning he wakes relieved of his sins.
The friend wakes up each day feeling mentally cleansed of any mistakes made in the past.


Oh, after hours of losing himself,
After a period of time spent feeling lost or disconnected from society,


He gets to his knees and he prays for his health.
The friend prays to God in a religious manner in order to maintain his physical and mental wellbeing.


And to the palm trees and driving south.
The singer and his friend appear to be traveling towards palm trees in a southern direction.


It's in the waves where we find ourselves,
The two friends feel most comfortable when near water, specifically at the beach where they can 'find themselves.'


Back at the ocean to meet with dirt where we will wait and find ourselves.
Returning to the ocean where they can be alone, the two friends will do some soul-searching and contemplate their lives.


And we will talk in ways that life has been so mean.
The friends will discuss how life can be difficult and unfair at times.


And see, there's always someone, always stepping on me.
The singer is likely feeling as though he is being oppressed or misunderstood by those around him.


Oh please, please, please, tell me.
The singer is requesting someone provide him with guidance or answers to help him through his struggles.


Oh wake me, wake me,
The singer is asking someone to physically wake him up from his slumber.


But don't tell me I'm lazy when I,
The singer is concerned that he may be judged for his apparent lack of motivation or productivity.


Pull the covers back over my face.
The singer may be struggling with depression and is using the covers as a way to hide or protect himself from the world.


Oh wake me, wake me, because we're all going crazy,
The singer appears to be acknowledging that everyone around him is also struggling with their own issues and perhaps feeling overwhelmed.


And we're always preaching that everyone's wrong.
The singer feels as though society is quick to judge and criticize others without truly understanding their stories or circumstances.


So we can talk of ways that life has been so mean.
To cope with their struggles, the friends will discuss how difficult life can be.


And see there's always someone, always stepping on me.
The singer still feels as though he is being oppressed or belittled by others.


Oh please, please, please, tell me.
The singer continues to plead with someone to provide him with guidance or answers to help him through his struggles.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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