When the Open Road is Closing In
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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Time, measured in dotted yellow lines has passed you by
and I never said an honest thing to you in all my life
Hard times go slowly and the good times never come
The world is a motor inn in the Iowa highway slum
when the open road is closing in
and you can't say where it ends and you begin
when every truckstop dive's you another five years off your life
when the open road is closing in
and the dotted yellow lines begin to spin
when the sky begins to fall on everything you like at all
you won't be coming home again
Ciao, you keep on drowning in the roads between the towns
now I have been closing all the shutters in the house




well, I know you'll be back when every tree is turning brown
you'll find the house is empty and the swingset's fallen down

Overall Meaning

The Magnetic Fields' song "When the Open Road is Closing In" is a poignant reflection on a relationship that has been affected by time and distance. The opening line of the song, "Time, measured in dotted yellow lines has passed you by," sets the tone for a narrative that contains a sense of regret and loss. The singer of the song feels like they have never been honest with their partner, and that the good times have never come. Instead, they have spent their time in motor inns in the Iowa highway slum, watching life go by on the open road.


The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, as it describes the feeling of being trapped and lost on the open road. "When the open road is closing in, and you can't say where it ends and you begin, when every truckstop dive's you another five years off your life," captures the sense of despair that can accompany a life spent on the road. The singer realizes that they will not be coming home again, and that their partner will find an empty house with a fallen swingset when they return.


Overall, "When the Open Road is Closing In" is a melancholy reflection on the toll that a life spent on the road can take on a relationship. It is a reminder that time is finite, and that the decisions we make about how we spend it can have lasting consequences.


Line by Line Meaning

Time, measured in dotted yellow lines has passed you by
Your life has slipped away, marked only by the passing of dotted yellow lines on the road.


and I never said an honest thing to you in all my life
I have been dishonest with you throughout our entire relationship.


Hard times go slowly and the good times never come
Difficult periods feel never-ending, while happy moments seem short-lived.


The world is a motor inn in the Iowa highway slum
The world feels like a cheap, run-down motel in a bleak part of Iowa.


when the open road is closing in
As you journey towards an uncertain future, the road ahead feels narrower and more confining.


and you can't say where it ends and you begin
You feel lost and uncertain about your place in the world.


when every truckstop dive's you another five years off your life
Each grimy truck stop you pass through seems to shave precious time off your lifespan.


when the open road is closing in
As you travel further and further, the path ahead feels increasingly restricted and unforgiving.


and the dotted yellow lines begin to spin
The familiar markings on the road begin to blur and spin into a dizzying blur.


when the sky begins to fall on everything you like at all
As your situation worsens, everything you once enjoyed becomes unbearable.


you won't be coming home again
You have committed too deeply to this uncertain journey and will not be able to return to the safety of your old life.


Ciao, you keep on drowning in the roads between the towns
As you pass from one place to the next, you feel overwhelmed and trapped by the endless roads in between.


now I have been closing all the shutters in the house
As you travel, I am slowly closing off our old life and preparing for a future without you.


well, I know you'll be back when every tree is turning brown
I anticipate that you will return to me when you have exhausted all other possibilities.


you'll find the house is empty and the swingset's fallen down
Upon your return, you will find that our old home has been abandoned and has fallen into disrepair.




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Ivan

[Verse 1]
Time
Measured in dotted yellow lines has passed you by
And I
Never said an honest thing to you in all my life
Hard times go slowly and the good times never come
The world is a motor inn in the Iowa highway slum

[Chorus]
When the open road is closing in
And you can't say where it ends and you begin
When every truckstop dive's another five years off your life
When the open road is closing in
And the dotted yellow lines begin to spin
When the sky begins to fall on everything you like at all
You won't be coming home again

[Verse 2]
Ciao
You keep on drowning in the roads between the towns
Now
I have been closing all the shutters in the house
Well, I know you'll be back when every tree is turning brown
You'll find the house is empty and the swingset's fallen down

[Chorus]
When the open road is closing in
And you can't say where it ends and you begin
When every truckstop dive's another five years off your life
When the open road is closing in
And the dotted yellow lines begin to spin
When the sky begins to fall on everything you like at all
You won't be coming home again

mopflower

I love the way he says "time" at the beginning

wrongmonettube

open...free...and just really weird.....like it always is....when you look.....

TheMJNicholls

Stephin Merritt with a Youtube account, hargh hargh. What a lark Beautiful tune.

Evert Taihuttu

Archive 81... ... ... . . . ... ... ... . . .

S Stecker

same