The Overpass
Ward Davis Lyrics
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Hears the cars and trucks above him rolling by
He lights a cig and takes a swig
He does this every day
Wife and kids weren't enough
Starting running round and drinking way too much
Taking pills, tasting thrills
Somedays he's sober long enough to feel regret
He'll find a bottle, it won't last
Cause he cant bare the thought of what it took to get
what he had to what he had
Under the overpass
He prefers sunshine to rain
'Cause the liquor store's half a mile away
Folks give more, some days it pours
It works out either way
Somedays he's sober long enough to feel regret
He'll find a bottle and it won't last
Cause he cant bare the thought of what it took to get
what he had to what he had
Under the overpass
He's just buying time the only way he knows
Numbing pain he can't get passed
And he'll be there until he's got somewhere to go
Who knows how long he has
He wakes up nice and dry
He's the cars and trucks above him rolling by
He lights a cig and takes a swig
He does this every day
The song "The Overpass" by Ward Davis tells the story of a man who has lost everything due to his addiction to alcohol, pills, and thrill-seeking. The man wakes up every day under an overpass, listening to the cars and trucks rolling by. He begins his day with a cigarette and a swig of alcohol, using it to numb the pain he feels from his past mistakes.
The man has a family, but they were not enough to keep him from his vices. He began running around and drinking too much, eventually losing everything he held dear. Despite feeling regret on some days, he cannot bear to face the reality of what he has lost and the cost of his addiction.
The man prefers to be under the overpass during sunny days because the liquor store is only a half-mile away. His life has become a struggle to buy time as he numbs his pain. He knows he will be there until he finds somewhere else to go, but he has no idea how long that might take.
Overall, the song portrays the reality of addiction and the way it can destroy a person's life. The man in the song is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction, trying to find a way out, but with no clear path forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Well he wakes up nice and dry
He wakes up feeling content and comfortable under the overpass without getting wet.
Hears the cars and trucks above him rolling by
He can hear the constant movement of cars and trucks passing over the overpass he's sleeping under.
He lights a cig and takes a swig
He starts his day by smoking a cigarette and drinking alcohol.
He does this every day
He has formed a routine which includes smoking a cigarette and drinking alcohol every day.
Wife and kids weren't enough
Despite having a wife and children, he still felt unfulfilled in his life.
Starting running round and drinking way too much
To cope with his feelings of inadequacy, he started drinking excessively and engaging in reckless behavior.
Taking pills, tasting thrills
He turned to drugs for pleasure and to escape his problems.
He lost everything
His addiction cost him everything he held dear, including his family.
Somedays he's sober long enough to feel regret
Occasionally, he has moments of sobriety where he reflects on the poor choices he's made and feels remorse.
He'll find a bottle, it won't last
When he relapses, the alcohol doesn't provide the relief he's seeking for very long.
Cause he cant bare the thought of what it took to get, what he had to what he had
He's unable to bear the idea of reflecting on the journey from the success he had before addiction, to the life he now leads.
Under the overpass
He's forced to take refuge from his broken life under the overpass.
He prefers sunshine to rain
Since the liquor store is a half mile away, he prefers sunny days so he doesn't get wet on the walk.
'Cause the liquor store's half a mile away
The distance to the liquor store is a significant factor in his choice of days to venture out to buy alcohol.
Folks give more, some days it pours
On particularly rainy days, people usually give him more money to help him out.
It works out either way
Regardless of how much money he gets, he's always able to buy enough alcohol to numb the pain.
He's just buying time the only way he knows
He's just trying to get through each day in whatever way he can, and right now that means using alcohol to numb his pain.
Numbing pain he can't get passed
He's using alcohol as a way to dull the emotional pain he's feeling, but it never fully goes away.
And he'll be there until he's got somewhere to go
He'll continue living under the overpass until he figures out a way to move on from his addiction and rebuild his life.
Who knows how long he has
There's no telling how long he'll continue to live this way, with no clear path forward.
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc.
Written by: Greg Jones, Ron Dini, Ward Levi Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind