Packing for the Crash
Tom McRae Lyrics

The lyrics of Tom McRae’s song “Packing for the Crash” capture the sense of fragility and unease that permeate the human experience. The song is an anthem for those who feel that they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders, as if they know that disaster is imminent and that they must be prepared for it. The song begins with the lines “Solid walls will crack tonight / Solid walls are gonna fall down,” creating a feeling of foreboding that runs throughout the entire song. The repetition of the line “I’m packing for the crash” reinforces this idea that something dangerous is looming just around the corner.

The chorus points to a sense of loss and disillusionment, with McRae singing “This is not any golden age we’ve lost / Any golden age we lost / We broke it here.” Here, he highlights the extent to which our actions contribute to the problems around us, while simultaneously lamenting the loss of an earlier, more innocent time. The theme of loss and renewal continues in lines like “Another day and another scar will fade / But another scar will take this one’s place,” underscoring the idea that the world is both destructive and regenerative. The song ends with the lines “Sudden pressure / We fall through the floor / And kill this moment before it takes hold,” reinforcing the sense of impermanence and the idea that the things we build can be quickly destroyed.