Here if you want me, listening so close from far away
I memorized what you told me, like a foreigner on holiday
I know to smile at confusion, not forget the soul that smiles on me
Dancing on the highway, the broken line that led from you to me
Well, I’ll be at my station all night, so come on by if you feel like

Still here if you want me, look at what I can do with empty time
A lost love that likes to haunt me - it’s waiting around to meet me when I die
Death surrounds, protects the living - this is what you said and I agreed
Not to be unforgiving just because your soul’s done time and free
Because I’m here if you want me, my love, dancing on the highway

But your sun still burns my eye
Oh, why?
Oh, why?



Lyrics submitted by tronistroy


Dancing on the Highway song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:(Esp...)


    Bailando en la Carretera

    Aquí, si tu me quieres,
    escuchando tan cerca desde tan lejos
    Memoricé lo que me dijiste, como un extranjero en vacaciones
    Sé sonreír en una confusión, no olvido el alma que sonríe en mí
    Bailando en la carretera, la línea rota que conducía de tí hacia mí
    Bueno, estaré en mi puesto toda la noche, asi que vamos por si se te antoja

    Aún aquí, si me quieres,
    mira lo que puedo hacer con el tiempo vacío
    Un amor perdido que le gusta rondarme
    - que está esperando por ahí para conocerme cuando yo muera
    Muertes envolventes, protegen la vida
    - esto es lo que dijiste y yo afirmé
    No se es implacable sólo porque tu alma cumplió tiempo y es libre
    Porque estoy aquí si tu me quieres, mi amor, bailando en la carretera

    Tu sol aún me quema los ojos
    Oh, ¿Por qué?
    Oh, ¿Por qué?


    (...)
    Flag billygatoon August 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:���������Wh��at is�� th��is?!��������...horri���ble!

    I prefer -Da�ncing on the Highway in Live- ,
    that� has another letter too,
    Does anyone h�ave it?�

    ���������Wh��at is�� th��is?!��������...horri���ble!
    Flag billygatoon August 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song really kills me, it's simply to easy to identify with. It would seem to be about there being an incredible distance between him and his lost love, and him just waiting and hoping that he'll get some sign of her. The line, "Still here if you want me, look at what I can do with empty time." especially kills me, I've endured quite a lot of empty time.
    Flag Scribbler17on July 07, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I can agree with zaklaughed the most;
    I think it has to do with an old relationship that he misses more than he thought he would.

    I also think that the lyrics can be a little frightening, saying "dancing on the highway" leads me to believe that Elliott is in a bad state (somewhat suicidal) thinking about the relationship-gone-wrong. Dancing on the highway is not a safe thing to do. It also has a reference to him maybe being a toll taker, though this is mere speculation.
    Flag newdisasteron October 20, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of the most beautiful unreleased Elliott Smith songs. It's a shame he didn't officially put this out for more people to hear. I love the "You're sun still burns my eye" in the studio in contrast to the more positive and uplifting imagery of the live version's "You're sun still lit my sky."

    And speaking of imagery, I love it in this song. The idea of driving through the darkness with the specter of this lost love haunting the narrator. Elliott tops my list, no doubt.
    Flag ryandunchon August 30, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:OK, I'll venture a guess about the song. I think the girlfriend of the guy in the song passed away. Both the living guy and the deceased girlfriend believed in the soul, some sort of afterlife, and probably the ability for the living to communicate with the dead.

    I have two interpretations of what's going on. The more likely is that the guy's faith or spirituality is tested and challenged right now. While she's definitely there in his memory, he wants to see her, talk to her spirit or ghost. But this doesn't happen, he's waiting for any sign of her, he wants to know she still cares and that she's still there in spirit... but all he has is her memory ("your sun still burns my eye, oh why?")

    The other interpretation is more grim. He's dancing on the highway in the middle of the night-- a dark stretch of road where cars may hit him. He is tempting death to come and take him so that he can be with his lost love.

    Just my take... I'll always be in awe of Elliott's songwriting..
    Flag yesteryear_soonon November 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:and maybe it's too late, and maybe it's not
    Flag zaklaughedon June 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:it means that his feelings lingered more than he expected
    Flag zaklaughedon June 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is an awesome song does anyone know what it means?
    Flag mooniniteson January 07, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I never realized that the melody to this song is at the end of "In The Lost And Found".
    Flag thoraxcorp3on December 08, 2007   Link

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