As a teen in the mid-'90s, Vek was inspired by grunge and began making rock along the lines of Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam; before that, he backed his guitarist father on bass and drums in their practice space/garage. When his family acquired a reel-to-reel tape recorder when he was 14, Vek began recording his music, which evolved from grungy rock to Warp- and Ninja Tune-influenced electronica as the '90s came to a close.
Vek had been sending his music to a friend of the family (who happened to be Alex Cooper, the longtime drummer for Katrina & the Waves) who in turn sent Vek's latest, electronica-inspired music to his cousin (who happened to be Tim Lee, the head of quirky electronic label Tummy Touch). Lee signed Vek to the label, and in 2001 the 7" There's Only One Thing Left Now became Vek's first officially released work. Tummy Touch agreed to release a full-length from Vek, which he began working on in between his graphic design studies at St. Martins. However, Vek's music had morphed again, moving from delicate electronica to something sharper-edged and more rock-based. Singles such as If You Want heralded this new direction, as did gigs (with a full backing band) supporting acts like Bloc Party and Engineers. Vek's debut album, We Have Sound, was released in the U.K. in spring 2005 via Tummy Touch, and then sublicensed by Island/Universal. Startime International released the album in the U.S. that fall.
6-6-2011 his long awaited second album Leisure Seizure was finally released on Island.
On The Road
Tom Vek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You said I was the backseat driver
You said I was the backseat driver
You said I was the backseat
You said I was the road map reader
You said I was the road map reader
You said I was the road map reader
You said I was the driving license
You said I was the driving license
You said I was the driving license
You said I was the driving license
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
You said I was the hand break
You said I was the hand break
You said I was the hand break
You said I was the hand break
You said I was the glove compartment
You said I was the glove compartment
You said I was the glove compartment
You said I was the glove compartment
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
On the road, on the road, on the road
The repetition of the phrase “You said I was…” in Tom Vek's song On The Road emphasizes the feeling of being controlled by another person, likely in a romantic relationship dynamic. The song uses the metaphor of driving to explore this dynamic, with the singer being repeatedly referred to as the backseat driver, road map reader, driving license, hand break, and glove compartment. Each phrase emphasizes a different aspect of the singer’s lack of control in the relationship, from feeling like they are along for the ride (backseat driver) to feeling like an object that can be easily stowed away (glove compartment). The repetition of “On the road…” ties the different phrases together and emphasizes the singer’s feelings of being stuck in this dynamic.
The song can also be read as a commentary on the struggle for control within a relationship. The repeated use of the word “said” suggests that the singer is not actively taking control of the situation but is rather being told what their role is. This lack of agency is reinforced by the repeated phrases and the lack of new imagery or language throughout the song. The song captures the frustration and powerlessness that can come with feeling trapped in an unfulfilling relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You said I was the backseat driver
You accused me of being overly controlling and critical while not actually driving the car.
You said I was the road map reader
You accused me of insisting on following strict plans or directions rather than being flexible on our journey.
You said I was the driving license
You accused me of being the one in charge and responsible for our journey's success or failure.
On the road, on the road, on the road
Repeating this phrase emphasizes the current state of being on a journey, and the continuous movement and progression that comes with it.
You said I was the hand break
You accused me of being the one holding us back or preventing us from making progress on our journey.
You said I was the glove compartment
You accused me of being insignificant or unimportant, and just taking up space on our journey.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THOMAS TIMOTHY VERNON-KELL (UMG)
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind