Powerlines
The Western States Motel Lyrics
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About how all your troubles are gone
We hold it all inside our sunlight hands
We'll never let it go, I think you understand
We drive around all the mystery towns
I can see it now, it's all in my head
Staring down at the gravity ground
When I was lost in your eyes, was I trying to find
A way beyond all the palm tree powerlines
(wooo... I do what I can)
Dreaming dreams of material things
I try to wake you up, I do what I can
Let me take you to some places I've seen
Down a two lane road, I know right where it goes
When I was lost in your eyes, was I trying to find
A way beyond all the palm tree powerlines
(wooo... I do what I can)
(wooo... I do what I can)
When I was lost in your eyes, was I trying to find
A way beyond all the palm tree powerlines
The Western States Motel's song Powerlines is about feeling a sense of escape and freedom from the mundane daily routine through the experience of traveling to new and unexplored places with a loved one. The song beautifully describes the long days of driving, exploring the mystery towns and soaking in the sunlight. The phrase "We hold it all inside our sunlight hands, we'll never let it go, I think you understand" suggests that the moments of joy and happiness are fleeting, but they are precious and must be held onto tightly. The lyrics, "When you're this high up, you never wanna come down" shows how the feeling of liberation and happiness is so strong that the desire to return to reality and routine life is almost nonexistent.
The chorus, "When I was lost in your eyes, was I trying to find a way beyond all the palm tree powerlines" is inquisitive and reflective, suggesting that the singer is unsure if the desire to wander and escape is a longing for a deeper connection with the world beyond their current surroundings or whether it is simply a desire to get away from the mundane daily routine. The lyric "Dreaming dreams of material things, I try to wake you up" suggests that the singer's partner might be preoccupied with materialistic desire, but the singer wants to take them on a journey of self-discovery and escape.
Line by Line Meaning
The days are long, and they sing you a song
The passage of time feels never ending, and it can be comforting to have something to cling onto, even if it's just a song.
About how all your troubles are gone
The song may tell you that your problems don't matter and that everything will be okay in the end.
We hold it all inside our sunlight hands
We like to believe that we have control over our lives, and thus hold our fate in our hands like an object in the sunlight.
We'll never let it go, I think you understand
We are afraid to let go of our control, and we hope that others understand why we cling onto it so tightly.
We drive around all the mystery towns
We travel around to new and unknown places, searching for something that we may not even be sure of.
I can see it now, it's all in my head
We visualize things that may not even be there, imagining them in our minds until they feel like reality.
Staring down at the gravity ground
We become hyperaware of our surroundings and feel the pull of gravity as we look down at the Earth below us.
When you're this high up, you never wanna come down
Being high up brings a feeling of euphoria and being above everyone else, and we never want to come down from that feeling.
When I was lost in your eyes, was I trying to find
In the midst of being enamored with someone, we may try to find something more than just the present moment.
A way beyond all the palm tree powerlines
We want to transcend the physical world and reach something beyond what is tangible, symbolized by the palm tree powerlines.
Dreaming dreams of material things
We dream of having material possessions and tangible success, often to the point of obsession.
I try to wake you up, I do what I can
We may try to snap others out of their own materialistic dreams, hoping to show them a different way of living and thinking.
Let me take you to some places I've seen
We want to share our experiences with others, taking them to new and exciting places.
Down a two lane road, I know right where it goes
Even though the journey may be uncertain, we know where our path is headed and are determined to follow it.
When I was lost in your eyes, was I trying to find
Once again, we may look for something deeper and more meaningful when we are overcome by emotions and connections with other people.
A way beyond all the palm tree powerlines
We still aim to transcend tangible things and rid ourselves of materialism, symbolized once again by the palm tree powerlines.
Contributed by Hudson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.