[Intro]
No wait, a tea, make it a good green tea
[Slug]
7:30 AM, alerted to life by a song on the radio
The evening is over
Another morning, another opportunity
To do something progressive, to prove that he's worthy
Up and out the door by 9 o'clock
The sun is shining up and down the block
There's children in the corner, waiting for a bus
That will take them to school and exploit their trust
He starts the car, sparks with one crank
It's those good ol' fashioned American mechanics
And even though he'd rather own a new import
It's dependable and more important, it's all he can afford
Stops by the coffee shop to pick up some smokes, and a cup of Joe
(No, wait, make it a tea, a good green tea)
Back into the Ford with the windows rolled up
So when the radio rocks, he can sing along freely
"With the lights out, it's less dangerous"
At the top of his lungs, the words burst through, shameless
Pushing that dream, trying to beat the time
"Oh well, whatever, nevermind"
Nothing else matters when you're knifing through traffic
Wishing it was a stick shift, it's an automatic
Listening to the road, voice of the nomad
How he'd love to leave, drive away, never go back
Wheels keep on turning, turning, turning and turning
Alone is when he finally feels like a person
Light another Nat Sherman
Crack the window, feel the wind blow
Serenity tenfold
God bless whoever invented sunglasses
And while you're at it, save the saints that work the fast food drive-thrus
Objects are closer than they appear
'Cause when you're by yourself there ain't nobody else to lie to
Talk radio gets a lot of play in his vehicle
It teaches him topics to discuss with real people
So, when he stops to get gas or hit that coffee shop
His neurotic ass can act like he knows a whole lot
Pour some sugar on me, my counterfeit personality
He's a loner, Dottie, he's a rebel
He's gonna drive the Escort to the middle of that meadow
Thinking about how he could leave this city
Fill the tank and towards the water, he'll flee
Maybe he should just go get a pitcher at the CC
Find a stool at the bar where he can stare at the TV
Either way, tomorrow will be just like today
And that's all it takes to make the change
He loves to drive more than he loves being alive
And this town doesn't even know his real name
[Outro]
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
If only had he known that, he wouldn't be missed
Maybe then he could have grown to exist
It goes – bye, bye, Miss American Pie
Drove the Ford to the border, to disturb the order
Now the guy is singing along to American Pie by Don McLean, and Slug is playing with the words so they work in this song.
This lyric references the Nirvana song “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
“And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard, it’s hard to find
Oh well, whatever, never mind”
“aspiring sociopaths” are all internally conflicted. On one hand, totally unable to understand or identify with other people, on the other (and as a result) trying to kill away the resulting lonlieness.
To do something “worthy” could end his desire for pure apathy and detachment.
Something worthy is something redeeming.
Sunglasses allows one to hide their eyes thus allowing him to hide his expression so he can feel less self conscious around others. Pictured below is Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver, a textbook case of an Aspiring Sociopath.
Implying the subject is aware he is unable to naturally identify with “real people” and so must find external resources to reference in order to appear “normal”.
This lyric references the Nirvana song “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
Since talk radio usually involves prolonged discussion it makes time spent driving easier if its a long trip.
The protagonist in this story likes to drive around by himself a lot, and so talk radio would pass the time much better than listening to the radio.
A possible reference to the book On the Road by Jack Kerouac, in which the main character travels across America aimlessly in search of meaning. Thematically the book is similar to this song, in dealing with an existential crisis of sorts and an estrangement of the regular affairs of life to find oneself.
Children are put into the schooling system for education, but more importantly, for indoctrination
The CC is a sweet-ass dive bar on the southside of Minneapolis. Probably of Grain Belt Premium!
This section is about escapism which fits with ordering a full pitcher of beer while sitting alone at a bar.
Knifing through traffic is a method of aggressive driving. With this aggression comes his focus. The frustration of kinfing through traffic is likely to push other worries to the back of his mind
A reference from the 1985 movie, Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure. Pee Wee tells Dottie (the girl in the bike store) that he doesn’t like her like she likes him and that she should stay away because he’s “dangerous”. Pee Wee is an eccentric and clearly not tough and Slug is trying to put that meaning on himself.
Individuals who score high on neuroticism are more likely than the average to experience such feelings as anxiety, anger, envy, guilt, and depressed mood. He feels that if that by becoming an informed individual, he can attain confidence and tell himself he is better than them. Thus dispelling those feelings of envy and sadness at being something less. Having something to talk about would also relieve the aspect of social anxiety in the sense that he at least has something to say to these people, instead of just having awkward semi silent interaction, which would only make him feel like more of an outcast
If he could accept the fact that he has no connection with society, no one to miss him, he could stop his facade to seem like a normal human being. By accepting this, perhaps he can find who he truly is, and become someone, instead of an empty shell, maybe he could then grow a soul and be a real person like those he mentioned earlier in the song.
A “stick shift” transmission offers the driver much more control over the vehicle than an automatic.
Also, this could be a hint that the character is on “auto-pilot” as he navigates the landscape of his life.