Lyrics for The Engine Driver as interpreted by sethbrown

The Engine Driver Lyrics
I'm an engine driver
On a long run, on a long run
Would I were beside her
She's a long one, such a long one

And if you don't love me, let me go
And if you don't love me, let me go

I'm a county lineman
On a high line, on a high line
So will be my grandson
There are powerlines in our bloodlines

And if you don't love me, let me go
And if you don't love me, let me go

And I am a writer, writer of fictions
I am the heart that you call home
And I've written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones
My bones
My bones

I'm a moneylender
I have fortunes upon fortunes
Take my hand for tender
I am tortured, ever tortured

And if you don't love me, let me go
And if you don't love me, let me go

And I am a writer, writer of fictions
I am the heart that you call home
And I've written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones
I am a writer, I am all that you have home
Home
And I've written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones
My bones
My bones

(And if you don't love me, let me go)
And if you don't love me, let me go
(And if you don't love me, let me go)
And if you don't love me, let me go

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  • 81 Comments
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odalisque
01-22-2005

Rated 0 
"And I've written pages upon pages
Trying to rid you from my bones"

I get chills every time. :)

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miamonster
01-23-2005

Rated -1 
oh my god.
new decemberists is asdfl;kj amazing.
honestly, too much.

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thisawkwardsaw.com
03-26-2005

Rated -1 
You can download the song at http://thisawkwardsaw.com/mp3/?p=99. It rocks.

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trisweb
03-30-2005

Rated +2 
Okay, meaning now.

I think that this is a song comprised of several different characters (obviously) with most of the focus given to the writer (who I think is, in some part, Meloy) -- it's very simple with lots of repetition, but I think it comes down to one moral -- All of these people are something by their very nature; it's in their bones, it's who they are, and they're calling out, "If you don't love me let me go" -- or, if you don't love me for who I really am, let me go.

Going deeper, you could look at the writer and think, he's trying to rid this love from his bones, so maybe she's become a part of him (assuming the first person is male, sorry) as well; or, he is becoming a part of her, as in "I am the heart that you call home". Yet, he's just a writer of fictions; he's trying to write her out of his life, but she won't let go.

So they're all people with dilemmas of the heart -- all having to do with the permanent *who* they are perhaps conflicting with their love's perception of them; or anyone's perception of them for that matter.

In any case, it's a beautiful song. Love it.

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1 Reply
Bryia_026
03-31-2005

Rated 0 
just beautiful. My favorite on Picaresque

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five_to_one
04-05-2005

Rated +1 
It's about that girl that you want but will never get, for whatever reason. Still, even knowing this, the love that you feel stays. Meloy is shrieking "if you don't love me let me go", but the love still stays, despite the fact that the writer has "written pages upon pages trying to rid you from my bones." A nasty little spot to be in. Part of me is starting to think that there is only ONE charactor...I'll post more on that once I think about it some more.

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jazzy88
04-07-2005

Rated 0 
i love this song. i totally agree with five to one. i feel bad for him, especially cause im in pretty much the same position.....

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nonnycries
04-15-2005

Rated 0 
its really good. The catchiest on picaresque in my opionon.

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sethbrown
04-30-2005

Rated +2 
This song could be about a songwriter/musician/decemberists frontman.

Each of the professions he lists in the verses are various parts of being a touring musician.
"engine driver": touring across a country must feel.
"county lineman" or electrician: dealing with the equipment.
"moneylender": the business side of music.

and of course, a writer using fiction to work out a past relationship isn't a stretch of the imagine.

maybe colin's most autobigraphy song.
or i could be completely wrong.

either way, wonderful song.

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Ne Plus Ultra
07-19-2005

Rated +1 
^^I think that may be reading a bit much into it, as song's that Colin has written about mothers aren't necessarily reflections on his mother. His writing style is rarely ever autobiographical, it's mostly story telling.

That said...the engine driver in question is experiencing a feeling that I think five_to_one described best. Hopelessness, but at the same time, something deep inside him ("my bones") just won't let go, no matter what he does to try to get rid of her ("I've written pages upon pages").

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noiserevolution
08-08-2005

Rated 0 
up there as one of my favorite decemberists songs. divine.

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Jamfish
09-07-2005

Rated 0 
I'm with five to one. I think it's just one guy, who is a writer. He's got unrequited love for this lady and he copes with writing all kinds of love stories about different lives where it might have worked out.

Or something. That's what I can figure.

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angelsandangles
10-08-2005

Rated 0 
this my favorite song its amazing. I agree with five to one....

either way colin meloy is an amazing lyricist...i think i will marry him.

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WriterOfFictions
10-08-2005

Rated 0 
angelsandangles, agreed...and im sorry but i must steal the postition of Mr. Meloys wife ;)

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Evil Herbivore
10-22-2005

Rated 0 
Such a pretty melencholy song...

...It kind of strikes me as being about frustration and stagnation, that kind of thing. Being stuck in one place or having no escape. He's stuck on railway tracks and can't go where he wants.

Mostly I think it's about a relationship - maybe he married too young and now feels trapped, feels he has to go the distance (on a long run/she's a long one). She still loves him (heart that you call home)and needs him so he feels obligated to her but doesn't love her, refering to himself as banker which makes me think of morgages and long term contracts. He makes up his feelings, it's all fiction. But he can't get rid of her.

I love the 'powerlines in our bloodlines' lyric, maybe he's worried history will repeat itself and his kids/grandkids will end up in the same situation.

Anyways, The Decemeberists are wonderful.

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walkintothec
12-09-2005

Rated 0 
All of the verses have a theme of permanence... "a long one;" a trade that is passed down through generations; "ever tortured." These roles aren't just jobs; they a part of a person's enduring identity. The speaker will forever be a writer trying to rid this person from his life unless she just admits she doesn't love him.

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iwishiwas
12-13-2005

Rated 0 
There is not one Decemberists song that doesn't make me shudder. They are so amazing.

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lindsayms14
12-16-2005

Rated 0 
I thought this song meant something more along the lines that the singer is deeply in love with a girl, but she doesn't love him back, but he cannot forget about her not matter what he does, he writes pages upon pages trying to "rid" her from his "bones"...

Each is a different example of how she does not love him back or how he has to work hard to keep their relationshiop.

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GollyGee
12-29-2005

Rated 0 
;D It's rather interesting to try to interpret this song in the midst of reading Great Expectations... At least in the first stage of Pip's expectations.

I agree that it's about the writer working on a story to help himself get over a girl that he can't have. I think the "if you don't love me, let me go" lines are him essentially telling her to stop being so captivating if she doesn't love him. Perhaps. :O

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candles-and-kisses
01-02-2006

Rated 0 
the different voices comment is right and also i think that after each one 'And if you don't love me let me go
And if you don't love me let me go'
is mentioned because everyone thinks this

and lots of different types of people have said it in the song

fantasmagorical song

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Sarahluvsu182
01-07-2006

Rated 0 
the "county lineman" thing is reference to a 60's song.
the meaning of the song has kind of been explained over and over so I wont do it again.

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octoberist
01-10-2006

Rated 0 
This song triggers deep ambivalent emotions for me of extreme happiness and sadness all at once. "If you don't love me let me know" is the best line I've ever heard.

Sorry to ruin the whole concept of Song Meanings.

I love this song.

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Sarahluvsu182
01-11-2006

Rated 0 
it just feels so honest. kind of.

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ridofme22
01-12-2006

Rated 0 
I agree more with lindsayms14's interpretation...He uses his medium (writing) to exercise her from his soul and it's all make-believe (fiction). It's as though he's trying to prove his worth to her with each profession he names. He is her home, her heart, whether she sees it or not. And, of course, he's begging her to release him from this misery of unrequited love.

A true gem, I have to say....

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ReOffender
01-13-2006

Rated 0 
absolutely amazing song :)

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