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Gotta Get Away
The Offspring Lyrics


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Getting edgy all the time
There's someone around, me just a step behind
It's kinda scary, the shape I'm in
The walls are shakin' and they're closing in

Too fast or a bit too slow
I'm paranoid of people and it's starting to show
One guy that I can't shake
Over my shoulder is a big mistake

Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me

Tell you something just ain't right
My head is on loose but my shoes are tight
Avoiding my friends, they all bug
Life is like a riddle and I'm really stumped

If you reason, don't you know
Your own preoccupation is where you'll go
Being followed, look around
It's only my shadow creepin' on the ground

Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me

Sitting on the bed
And lying wide awake
There's demons in my head
And it's more than I can take
I think I'm on a roll
But I think it's kinda weak
Saying all I know is
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me
I gotta get away from me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Offspring's song "Gotta Get Away" explore the theme of anxiety and paranoia. The singer of the song is clearly struggling with his mental health, as he describes feeling edgy and scared all the time. He feels like there is someone following him, and he can't shake the feeling of being watched. The walls are closing in on him, and he can't escape the demons in his head. The chorus is a cry for help, as he realizes that he needs to get away from himself in order to find some peace.


The song uses a lot of vivid imagery to convey the singer's state of mind. The walls closing in on him and the demons in his head are both powerful metaphors for the feeling of being trapped and overwhelmed. The line "my head is on loose but my shoes are tight" is an interesting contrast, as it shows the dissociation between his mind and his body. He can't control his thoughts, but he is still trying to keep it together on a physical level.


The final verse of the song introduces an interesting twist. The singer realizes that the person who is following him is actually just his own shadow. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the fact that his problems are all internal - he is projecting his own fears and anxieties onto the outside world. The song ends on an ambiguous note, with the singer still struggling but perhaps starting to gain some insight into his own mind.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm getting edgy all the time
I am becoming anxious and nervous constantly.


There's someone around just a step behind
There is a person who seems to be following me.


It's kinda scary, the shape I'm in
It is frightening how I feel at the moment.


The walls are shakin' and they're closing in
I feel trapped and confined in my surroundings.


Too fast or a bit slow
Whether it is too quick or slow, I am unsure.


I'm paranoid of people and it's starting to show
I am becoming overly suspicious of individuals and it is visible.


There's one guy that I can't shake
There is a particular person that I am unable to lose or evade.


Over my shoulder is a big mistake
Looking behind me may be a foolish decision.


Sitting on the bed
I am seated on my bed.


Or lying wide awake
I am unable to sleep and am restless.


There's demons in my head
My thoughts and emotions are causing me immense suffering.


And it's no more than I can take
I am at my limit and cannot endure anymore.


I think it's kinda weak
I believe that my behavior is insufficient or cowardly.


Saying all I know is
Expressing my only knowledge or realization that


I gotta get away from me
I need to distance myself from my current state of mind.


I tell you something just ain't right
Something is undoubtedly wrong or abnormal.


My head is on loose but my shoes are tight
I am struggling to keep my thoughts in order, but my actions remain intact.


Avoiding my friends cause they all bug
I am avoiding spending time with my buddies because they are irritating or bothersome.


Life is like a riddle and I'm really stumped
Life seems to be a puzzle, and I am utterly perplexed by it.


If you reason, don't you know
If you apply logic or rational thinking, do you not realize that


Your own preoccupation is where you'll go
You will end up going in the direction of your own obsessive thoughts or concerns.


I think I'm being followed, I look around
I suspect that someone is trailing me, so I glance around.


It's only my shadow creepin' on the ground
However, it is merely my shadow extending on the pavement.




Lyrics © ROUND HILL CARLIN, LLC
Written by: Bryan Dexter Holland

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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