You Can't Take Me
Uncle Kracker Lyrics


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I've been wasting all my time
And I've been drinkin' all that wine
And I've been drinkin' all that beer
And I've been sheddin' all these tears

I can't go but you can't stay
Your not gonna take me out that way
Because you can't take me
I said you can't take me
No you can't take me anywhere I don't want to go

I've been down this road before
And I just can not care no more
I can't see what you can see
I'm too busy bein' me

See I can't go and you can't stay
You not gonna take me out that way
Because you can't take me
I said you can't take me
No you can't take me anywhere I don't want to go

I don't need to save no face
I can't wait to leave this place
I've been fooled by lesser things
And I don't care what tomorrow brings
See I can go but you can't stay
Your not gonna take me out that way
Because you can't take me




I said you can't take me
No you can't take me anywhere I don't want to go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Uncle Kracker's song You Can't Take Me describe a person who is tired of wasting their time and drowning their sorrow in alcohol. The singer has been down this road before and has reached a point where they no longer care about what others think of them. The line "I can't see what you can see, I'm too busy being me" highlights the singer's desire to be their own true self and not be influenced by others. The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's strong will and determination, stating that no one can force them to do anything they don't want to do or take them anywhere they don't want to go.


The lyrics convey a sense of empowerment and independence, with the singer asserting their own autonomy and free will. The message of the song can be interpreted as a call to embrace one's true self and not be swayed by others' opinions or expectations. The reference to alcohol and tears hints at a possible struggle with addiction or mental health issues, but the overall tone of the song is one of resilience and strength.


Interesting Facts:


Line by Line Meaning

I've been wasting all my time
I have been using my time recklessly without any specific goal or aim.


And I've been drinkin' all that wine
I have been drinking a lot of wine which could have been an escape from reality or the source of pain.


And I've been drinkin' all that beer
I have been consuming a lot of beer which might be causing me some negative consequences.


And I've been sheddin' all these tears
I have been crying, most likely due to the sadness I am going through.


I can't go but you can't stay
I am unable to change my situation, but you are also not permitted to force me to do anything.


Your not gonna take me out that way
There is no way you will be able to manipulate me to fulfill your needs, especially if it goes against my will.


Because you can't take me
It is impossible for you to take me or force me to do anything I don't want to do.


I said you can't take me
I am asserting that you must acknowledge that it is utterly futile to try and control me.


No you can't take me anywhere I don't want to go
Under no condition will you ever be allowed to lead me or coerce me into doing anything I do not want to do.


I've been down this road before
I have had experiences earlier which closely resemble the current one.


And I just can not care no more
I have come to a point in my life where I do not care what happens, either positively or negatively.


I can't see what you can see
I am not capable of sensing, interpreting, and comprehending things the way you do.


I'm too busy bein' me
I am occupied with being myself and being true to my identity, even though others might want me to be someone else.


I don't need to save no face
I have no shame or guilt for being who I am or for what I do.


I can't wait to leave this place
I cannot wait to move on from my current situation and find a new place to begin again.


I've been fooled by lesser things
I have been deceived or misled before, sometimes by something that is of little significance.


And I don't care what tomorrow brings
I do not feel anxious or obsess about what the future will bring since I cannot control it.


See I can go but you can't stay
I can leave the situation, but you won't be able to make me stay.


Your not gonna take me out that way
No matter what you try, you won't be able to take me down or defeat me in any way possible.


Because you can't take me
It is impossible for you to take me or force me to do anything I don't want to do.


I said you can't take me
I am asserting that you must acknowledge that it is utterly futile to try and control me.


No you can't take me anywhere I don't want to go
Under no condition will you ever be allowed to lead me or coerce me into doing anything I do not want to do.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES TROMBLY, MICHAEL BRADFORD, MATTHEW SHAFER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Mike No


on Aces and Eights

The explanation of the meanings of the lyrics was either written by a kindergartener or AI bot.
The bar reference was about a guy who was cocky, especially about his billiards skills, high on himself with his head in the clouds, but not very grounded in reality, and was careless and died after getting hit by as truck as a result.

The next reference was a guy that would hit the clubs, chat up the chicks, bed them later that night, but fucked without wearing protection, i.e. condoms (gloves) because he was too cool for that (hardcore). He got HIV, contracted AIDS or some other STD and died, Again, a real player, but not grounded in reality and paid the price.

The third reference was of a young woman trying to 'make it in world', so she moved to the 'big city', and quickly realized the skills she learned in her small town wouldn't mean success on the basis of merit only. She realized the only way she could compete with her other coworkers for promotions was to sellout and perform oral sex on her male bosses. to help her achieve success in her career. (under a desk trying to make it to the top). Rumors swirled that she was a slut, and she never got the promotions or success that she craved.

In each case, either vanity, gluttony, or pride (3 of the 7 deadly sins) were cast aside in order to achieve their specific dreams and goals, and due to poor decision making, each ultimately 'paid the price' for their mistakes. "Watch what you ask for you might get it" is a warning to others that don't tempt fate, don't compromise your morals just to get the sweet taste of success, because you will lose every time, and sometimes with deadly consequences. Hence, Aces & 8's - "Dead Man's Hand' reference to the poker hand Bill Hickok was holding when he was approached by a buffalo hunter he had crossed in the past. Lyrics also parallel the "7 Deadly Sins" like desiring what other have but you can't get (lust, envy), desiring everything but wanting to work for it, takes shortcuts (lust, gluttony, sloth), getting what you want, but being unsatisfied, wanting more (lust, greed) and sacrificing one's owns morals and principals to achieve that lofty prize, or accomplishment.

In poker, The 'Ace' is the highest card, but in Blackjack can be assigned a value of 1 or 11. This wide range of values means that one needs to be true to their belief system regardless of whether you have good or evil intentions or meager or lofty goals. The 'Eights' is reference to the symbol for 'eternity', which is 8 laying on its side. This means you have to be vigilant and make good decisions your whole life. Hickok was playing 5-card stud and holding only four cards.....two A's and two 8's while playing poker in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. The fact that Hickok hand only consisted of four card (unfulfilled goals) and was waiting for his fifth card to be dealt by the dealer (Life),. Two scenarios exist: the next card (decision) could be another A or 8, elevating the hand to a full house therefore, which would be seen as 'good = luck = in the future' or the next card (decision) could be any other card in deck, not changing one's position in life and having to resort to bluffing (lying. deception. untruthfulness = evil) to win..

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