Rebels
Tom Petty; The Heartbreakers Lyrics
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You know you won't feel this way tomorrow
Well, maybe I'm a little rough around the edges
Inside a little hollow
I get faced with some things sometimes
That are so hard to swallow
Hey hey hey!
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel
Well she picked me up in the morning
And she paid all my tickets
Yeah she screamed in the car
And threw me out in the thicket
Well I never would've dreamed
That her heart was so wicked
Oh but I keep coming back
Cause it's so hard to kick it
I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And on e foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel
Even before my father's fathers
They called us all rebels
Burned our cornfields
And left our cities leveled
I can still see the eyes
Of those blue bellied devils
When I'm walking round tonight
Through the concrete and metal
I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel
The lyrics to Tom Petty's song Rebels are about a man who is struggling with alcoholism and his relationship with a woman. He asks her not to leave him because he is too drunk to follow, but acknowledges that he won't feel the same about her the next day. The singer has some rough edges and a hollow feeling inside, and sometimes he is faced with things that are hard to deal with. However, despite his struggles, he keeps coming back to the woman because it's hard to let go of someone he loves.
The chorus of the song talks about being a rebel, both by birth and by choice. The singer was born a rebel "down in Dixie on a Sunday morning," with one foot in the grave and one foot on the pedal. This line suggests that he is living life to the fullest, taking risks and living on the edge. He also mentions that even his ancestors were considered rebels, subjected to violence by "blue bellied devils" during the Civil War. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that the singer is a rebel who has always lived life on his own terms.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the struggles of addiction and love, and the tension between individuality and conformity. The singer is a rebel who refuses to conform to society's expectations of him, but also struggles with his own demons. In the end, he acknowledges that he is what he is, and that he wouldn't have it any other way.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey don't walk out I'm too drunk to follow
I am too intoxicated to go with you, my love. Please don't leave me alone.
You know you won't feel this way tomorrow
You understand that I won't be like this when I am sober up tomorrow.
Well, maybe I'm a little rough around the edges
Perhaps I am not perfect and have my imperfections.
Inside a little hollow
Inside I feel empty and lost.
I get faced with some things sometimes
Sometimes life throws things at me that are difficult to manage.
That are so hard to swallow
These things may be hard to accept and cope with.
I was born a rebel
I am a natural rebel, it's in my blood.
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
I was born in the southern United States on a Sunday morning.
Yeah with one foot in the grave
I have lived a risky life that has almost cost me everything.
And one foot on the pedal
I am constantly on the go, fueled up and ready for the next adventure.
Well she picked me up in the morning
She came to my rescue in the morning, when I needed help.
And she paid all my tickets
She helped me settle my debts by paying off all my tickets.
Yeah she screamed in the car
She got angry while we were driving in the car.
And threw me out in the thicket
She kicked me out of the car and left me in a thicket.
Well I never would've dreamed
I could never have expected or imagined
That her heart was so wicked
That she could be so heartless and cruel.
Oh but I keep coming back
Despite the negative experiences with her, I keep going back to her.
Cause it's so hard to kick it
Because it is tough to break free from this relationship and move on.
Even before my father's fathers
Generations before my father, we were considered rebels.
They called us all rebels
Our family and ancestors have always been considered as rebels.
Burned our cornfields
They destroyed our farming lands by burning the crops and fields.
And left our cities leveled
They destroyed our cities and left them in ruins.
I can still see the eyes
I can still remember the look in the eyes of our tormentors.
Of those blue bellied devils
Referring to the northern troops during the American Civil War, who were called blue bellies.
When I'm walking round tonight
Even to this day, when I walk around at night,
Through the concrete and metal
Stepping through the urban cityscape of buildings and roads,
I was born a rebel
I realize that I was born to be a rebel and have always been one.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM PETTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Floyd Kiedis
Lyrics:
Honey don't walk out I'm too drunk to follow
You know you won't feel this way tomorrow
Well, maybe I'm a little rough around the edges
Inside a little hollow
I get faced with some things sometimes
That are so hard to swallow
Hey hey hey!
I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel
Well she picked me up in the morning
And she paid all my tickets
Yeah she screamed in the car
And threw me out in the thicket
Well I never would've dreamed
That her heart was so wicked
Oh but I keep coming back
Cause it's so hard to kick it
I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And on e foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel
Even before my father's fathers
They called us all rebels
Burned our cornfields
And left our cities leveled
I can still see the eyes
Of those blue bellied devils
When I'm walking round tonight
Through the concrete and metal
I was born a rebel
Down in Dixie on a Sunday morning
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal
I was born a rebel
joe jones
The way he sings 0:38 "Waaaaayyy tomorrow," is a perfect example of how his voice was not run of the mill but was extraordinary, anyone singing this song in this key would realize the same thing; few can sing like this.
HerrRoy
I love how he sings during this period. Been listening much to Southern accents recently and his voice has so much depth. It fits perfect to the lyrics and to the concept of the album.
B W
Who still loves Tom Petty?
Tyler L
Who’s that?
Ryan Mcginness
Everybody!
James Halliday
That jacket is Lit AF
kristina
Me!
Randall Reid
I will forever miss the gift of Tom Petty
Josie Springfield
One of my favorite songs by Tom, RIP.
Peter Thompson
Rebel kiwi styles