Driver
Trey Anastasio-Tom Marshall Lyrics
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Who lives inside my head
He starts me up and stops me
And puts me in to bed
He opens up my mouth
When it's time for me to talk
And fires up my legs
When he wants me to walk
For most of the day
Adds to my memories
The things that people say
When he makes decisions
I don't have to wait
But sometimes it seems that
He's got too much on his plate
Like this morning when I woke up
He dressed me in this shirt
It looks a little ragged
Where he dragged me through the dirt
I'm moving through this life
And I'm thinking about the next
And hope that when I get there
That I'll be better dressed
He keeps my eyes open
For most of the day
Adds to my memories
The things that people say
When he makes decisions
I don't have to wait
I'll tell you about the driver
Who lives inside my head
In Trey Anastasio-Tom Marshall's song Driver, the singer is describing the driver that lives inside their head. This driver is responsible for starting them up, stopping them, and putting them to bed. They are in control of the singer's movements, speech, and even memories. The driver starts up their legs when they want them to walk and opens up their mouth when it's time for them to talk. The driver also makes decisions for the singer, allowing them to move through life without having to wait.
The singer provides some insight into the complexity of this relationship, suggesting that sometimes the driver has too much on their plate. This is exemplified when the driver dresses them in a ragged shirt that looks like it has been dragged through the dirt. Despite this, the singer continues moving through life, always looking forward to what comes next. They hope that they will be better dressed when they get there, implying that they have some control over their appearance, even if the driver is ultimately in control.
The message of the song is somewhat ambiguous, but it seems to be exploring the relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind. The driver may represent the subconscious, while the singer represents the conscious. This interpretation is reinforced by the fact that the driver is responsible for regulating the singer's movements, memories, and decisions, all of which are subconscious processes. Overall, the song is a thought-provoking exploration of the human mind and the complexities of our inner lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll tell you about the driver
The persona is about to narrate the experience of how a force inside him controls his life.
Who lives inside my head
The driver is a controlling force inside the persona who lives inside his mind.
He starts me up and stops me
The driver initiates and halts the actions of the persona at will.
And puts me in to bed
The driver is responsible for the persona’s sleep cycles.
He opens up my mouth / When it's time for me to talk
The driver prompts the persona to speak when he ought to.
And fires up my legs / When he wants me to walk
The driver has control over the persona's physical being and decides when he should move.
Keeps my eyes open / For most of the day
The driver influences the period when the persona's eyes should remain open.
Adds to my memories / The things that people say
The driver supplements the persona's memory with other people’s conversations.
When he makes decisions / I don't have to wait
The driver takes over decision-making, which instantly reflects in the persona's actions.
But sometimes it seems that / He's got too much on his plate
The driver can get overwhelmed, and there can be too many duties for him to manage.
Like this morning when I woke up / He dressed me in this shirt / It looks a little ragged / Where he dragged me through the dirt
The driver made the persona wear an inappropriate shirt for the occasion, indicating the driver's fallibility and failure to meet the persona's standards.
I'm moving through this life / And I'm thinking about the next / And hope that when I get there / That I'll be better dressed
The persona is anxious about the future and hopes to improve his condition to avoid relying on the driver entirely.
He keeps my eyes open / For most of the day
The driver is responsible for maintaining the persona's visible state, prompting him to remain alert for the most part.
Adds to my memories / The things that people say
The driver is an active source of updating the persona's memory with conversations that occur around him.
When he makes decisions / I don't have to wait
The driver always makes decisive choices that immediately manifest as actions by the persona.
Writer(s): Trey Anastasio, Thomas Marshall
Contributed by Alex S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.