Lou Barlow formed The Folk Implosion with John Davis in the 1990s as a way to explore different kinds of music that his other band Sebadoh did not normally play. "The Lou Barlow Folk Implosion," as it is sometimes called, took its name as a tribute to the band The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Another incarnation of this band went under the name Deluxx Folk Implosion, which featured Bob Fay, who worked with Lou Barlow in Sebadoh, on drums.
Folk Implosion briefly stepped to the forefront of the alternative rock scene with their song Natural One which was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Kids (Kids) and received strong airplay on alternative rock format radio stations.
Free to Go
The Folk Implosion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had seven good years ‘til they noticed they were looking at me
I didn't like what they see
Trapped in the back seat, stay on your side
My hand out the window feeling the air rush by
While my parents fight
Another thing I didn't know
Nobody ever believes. They just leave, they just leave
And they'll see you on their own sweet time
They just leave
I didn't leave my room ‘til I learned how to drive
I was sweet seventeen, fighting with the back of my mind
‘Til the wheel was all mine
Free to go, but still to young to leave
Old enough to think I know
That nobody ever believes, they just leave, they just leave
My plane landed, I'm alive
I'm not fighting with the things
I never thought I'd do to survive
Now we've finally arrived
Now I know, more than I've ever believed
You could never let me know
You were just as young as me
You had to leave, you had to leave
The lyrics to The Folk Implosion's song "Free to Go" capture the feelings of a young person growing up and trying to find their way, while also dealing with the pain of people they love leaving them. The opening lines set the tone for the song by describing simple moments of childhood innocence, like catching butterflies and watching TV. However, the singer's comfort in their environment is shattered when they realize that they are being watched, and that they don't like what is being seen. This is a clear allusion to the feeling of being judged, and not living up to others' expectations.
From there, the song takes a darker turn, describing a scene where the singer is trapped in a back seat of a car while their parents fight. This creates an atmosphere of helplessness and isolation as the singer is unable to escape the situation. The chorus centers on the idea that people leave, and that nobody believes in the things that the singer has to say. This sense of abandonment is palpable throughout the song, as the singer is left alone to try and make sense of their world without any guidance or support.
The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as the singer comes to the realization that their experiences have connected them with others who have gone through similar pain. They understand that the people who left them were also struggling to find their way, and that they shouldn't judge them too harshly. Overall, "Free to Go" captures the complex emotions of adolescence and coming of age, while also exploring the universal themes of loss, isolation, and the power of human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Catching butterflies, line drives, watching TV
I was living my life carefree, doing normal things that brought me joy.
I had seven good years ‘til they noticed they were looking at me
I had a good life until people began paying attention to me.
I didn't like what they see
I didn't like how people began judging me.
Trapped in the back seat, stay on your side
I was stuck in the back seat of a car and told to stay on my side.
My hand out the window feeling the air rush by
I stuck my hand outside the car window and felt the wind rushing by.
While my parents fight
Meanwhile, my parents were having an argument.
Where did you go? Did I make you leave?
I'm wondering where a person went and questioning if my actions caused them to leave.
Another thing I didn't know
I didn't know something else in addition to not knowing where the person went.
Nobody ever believes. They just leave, they just leave
People never believe me and just abandon me.
And they'll see you on their own sweet time
People will only come back to me when it's convenient for them.
I didn't leave my room ‘til I learned how to drive
I did not leave my room until I learned how to drive a car.
I was sweet seventeen, fighting with the back of my mind
I was seventeen years old and battling problems within myself.
‘Til the wheel was all mine
Until I was able to take control of my life.
Free to go, but still to young to leave
I had freedom, but I was still too young to leave home entirely.
Old enough to think I know
I thought I was old enough to know everything.
That nobody ever believes, they just leave, they just leave
I realized that people never believe me and they just abandon me.
My plane landed, I'm alive
My plane landed safely and I am alive.
I'm not fighting with the things
I am no longer struggling with certain problems.
I never thought I'd do to survive
I did not think I had the strength to endure and survive a situation.
Now we've finally arrived
Now we have finally reached a destination or conclusion.
Now I know, more than I've ever believed
I have come to know something that I never thought possible.
You could never let me know
You were unable to tell me something important.
You were just as young as me
You were just as inexperienced and vulnerable as I was.
You had to leave, you had to leave
You were forced to leave and had no choice in the matter.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIS, LOUIS KNOX BARLOW, WALLY GAGEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Deadsea 1993
This song is so deep. It's like history always repeats itself whether people like it or not and how people react to isolation differently
E Suazo
this song is soooo good.
K. Mysti
This song always cheers me up.
And I also relate to most of the lyrics. "While my parents fight" &
"They just leave" especially 🤷♀️
burning both binaries
best Folk Implosion song ever, and Pearl reduced me to tears...
CauseAndCatastrophe
This song has been in the back of my mind for over a decade because of one video on stickpage.
Anon
CauseAndCatastrophe you and me both stickpage was a fond memory from middle school
Grizzly2198
The Pan by Felix Massie, featured in icantcolourin.co.uk, perhaps?
solid_fox47
Until I finally ran into somebody that helped me remember that video.
CauseAndCatastrophe
@Grizzly2198 Thank you for posting that link, man. Absolutely amazed the site is still up and we can revisit this stuff.
Grizzly2198
@CauseAndCatastrophe Yeah, I'm glad I could help you out!