Driven Away

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship teetering on the edge, marked by a palpable sense of uncertainty and frustration. The narrator feels a disconnect, sensing the other person's ambition while acknowledging their own limitations, creating an immediate tension about what's possible. This sets up a dynamic where the narrator is trying to define boundaries and understand the other's direction, pleading for a chance to be part of whatever future unfolds. The core question is whether the other person will even allow them to try. The central conflict seems to be a clash between immediate desire and long-term commitment, or perhaps a lack thereof. The narrator expresses a need for clarity and forward movement, feeling unheard and impatient with the other's indecision. There's a plea for directness – "call if you're coming" – suggesting a desire for genuine connection rather than passive waiting. This urgency contrasts sharply with the other person's apparent lack of worry or willingness to listen, creating a painful push-and-pull. The chorus offers a stark, almost nihilistic, view of how the relationship might proceed. The repeated phrases "hold on until we start to fall" and "bang our heads against the wall" suggest a cycle of destructive behavior and futility. The most striking line, "love one another now, but only for today," highlights a profound lack of future orientation, while "run one another down in the road, then we drive away" implies a pattern of causing harm and then abandoning the wreckage. This imagery is particularly potent, suggesting a relationship that is both volatile and ultimately transient. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their raw portrayal of emotional exhaustion and the painful realization that a relationship might be doomed to repeat its mistakes. The narrator's questions in the bridge, "Is it you there or is someone in your place?" and "Is it me here with egg upon my face?" reveal a deep-seated insecurity and a struggle for self-understanding within this chaotic dynamic. The repeated "drive away" at the end solidifies the sense of inevitable departure, leaving the listener with a feeling of unresolved melancholy and the echo of a relationship that couldn't find solid ground.