[Chorus]
I'm going back to 505
If it's a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive
In my imagination you're waiting, lying on your side
With your hands between your thighs

Stop and wait a sec
Oh, when you look at me like that, my darling
What did you expect?
I probably still adore you with your hands around my neck
Or I did last time I checked

Not shy of a spark
A knife twists at the thought that I should fall short of the mark
Frightened by the bite though it's no harsher than the bark
Middle of adventure, such a perfect place to start

[Chorus]

But I crumble completely when you cry
It seems like once again you've had to greet me with goodbye
I'm always just about to go and spoil a surprise
Take my hands off of your eyes too soon

I'm going back to 505
If it's a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive
In my imagination you're waiting, lying on your side
With your hands between your thighs and a smile!



Lyrics submitted by dark kirby

Track duration: 04:13

"505" as written by Alex Turner

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


505 song meanings
Add your thoughts

106 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    My Interpretation:i think that 505 refers to a hotel room and the relationship is actually an affair taking place.

    'once again you have to greet me with goodbye' - referring to the fact they go separate ways after they stay in the hotel room
    Flagged cairnoooon May 19, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song sits in my dark side, and sometimes its hard for me to lisern to. I think 505 is a time during the relationship when things were at their best, wether its a 7 hour flight or a 45 min he would go back there.

    Personally I struggle with the lyrics "In my imagination your waiting lying on your side, with your hands between your thighs" and "I would still adore you with your hands around my neck" I get too much of a strikingly clear picture of my ex lying in a dimly litt room staring at me when I hear those lyrics... I felt metaphorically my ex had her hands round my neck afew times as well... but I still adored her... Also the lyrics "When you look at me like that my darling what do you exspect" makes me churn inside like...
    Flagged GTMon April 21, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Rivals The Beatles's 909 as the best 3-digit-number-based rock song
    Flag shamone12on December 19, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:You guys are looking at this too literally.
    505 could literally stand for a place, but when Alex sings it, he probably talks about it in a figurative way. 505 could represent a place in his imagination signifying his past memories with this girl that he so genuinely and almost obsessively loves. Her memories seem to consume him. And with good reason too, because I feel that this girl is no longer in his life, presumably dead and thus 505 is his revisit to their past memories and his inability to move on and cope with her death/their breakup.
    Flagged shrillionon October 15, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"A knife twists at the thought that I should fall short of the mark," is just... perfect. Sums up this particular kind of anxiety better than anything else I've heard.
    Flag Ericatomon July 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Well, i heard the music several times, and i made a few searches, and i understand that the song talks about a confused relationship and expressed this with some verses, as...

    "You're waiting laying on your side, with your hands between your thighs"
    "I'm not shy of a spark, the knife twists at the thought"
    "But I crumble completely when you cry" etc.

    The music is somewhat psychodelic, so, i believe that "505" is a distant place, mostly inaccessible, because, as he said, "You travel 7 hour flight, or a 45 minute drive, in my imagination"

    I see people list "505" with "SOS", i don't know about this.

    Please answer me this!!!

    I'm brazilian and don't understand some expressions...

    Thanks!! =]

    (Sorry for my bad english =P)
    Flag Jonezon March 24, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's basically about his ex-girlfriend [they broke up during the process of making this album] so it associates with torture of heart. the 505 hotel thing could be a true part of it too. but i know for sure it's about his break up with her.
    Flag overdoitandhaveafiton February 24, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:As others have mentioned, I'm sure 505 is referring to a room number at a hotel, but it's fun to listen to for me because 505 is the area code of my state (New Mexico).
    Flag LORDYJONESon October 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ok I'm sorry, but did you just call Alex Turner a Hob Nob?

    Anyway, thanks everyone for the meaning, love this song so much.
    Flag iwastheonlyonewhoknewon August 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Tragicanatomy (sad user name, BTW:) hit the mark with BOTH his/her posts. Great song.
    Flag MaryMaryQuiteContraryon August 08, 2011   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain