So you tried to put a fire out,
but you used gasoline.
And when the congregation gathered round'
you’re screaming “It wasn't me!"
So there's a sickness that is going round'
but no one’s got a vaccine.
I think it drowned in holy water.
I think it's time we all come clean.

I swear it's like dying to catch a ghost,
It feels like I'm trying to hold smoke.
I swear it's like dying to catch a ghost,
It feels like I'm trying to hold smoke.

When the army had to hold the line
Well you were nowhere near the front
Before the kids could tell the dog "goodbye",
While you were loading up your gun
I wanna know I've left the great divide.
I wanna know what I've become.
You think that no one else is lonesome,
You think that you're the only one

It feels like I'm jumping towards a train!
It feels like I'm jumping towards a train!
Well I'm trying to find a way!

It feels like I'm jumping towards a train!
It feels like I'm jumping towards a train!
Well I'm trying to find a way!



Lyrics submitted by hobomclacey, edited by lucaeralix

Track duration: 03:32


Gasoline song meanings
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56 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:Gasoline is about the battle to find yourself and growing older in a world of darkness and corruption.

    "I wanna know I've left the Great Divide. I wanna know what I've become."
    This phrase is the epitome of the speaker's life with the final realization that he/she is a "trainwreck".
    "It feels like I'm jumping towards a train."

    Obviously it is a reflection of the dwindling sanity of mankind. It starts with good intentions but during a bout of inexperience, gasoline is thrown on the fire. Epic fail! The fire grows and destroys everything in its path. The "congregation" being a religious reference to the community the speaker came from casts blame and he/she tries to defend their good name by self-justification.

    The "sickness" refers to the corruption of sin and self-justification and its effect on the purity of humanity brought on by misinterpretations of religious ideals and doctrines. The vaccine has "drowned in Holy Water" and the speaker calls out to the "congregation" which represents the religious world desiring honest morality.

    "I swear it's like dying to catch a ghost. It feels like I'm trying to hold smoke." Shows the frustration with this tragic life. Living it is futile.

    Another chance to prove self-worth but cowardice drives them away from the front lines of a battle. This leads to another realization that this person's life will never be anything but one catastrophe after another. The battle may be an actual, physical war or even an internal battle this person has had with themselves their entire life. After so long, they begin to unravel. Possibly planning to commit suicide "loading up your gun".

    They feel like a trainwreck and the line"Well I'm trying to find a way" expresses the desire to find a solution to their tragic predicament: apathy for life.
    Flag lucaeralixon March 15, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think of George Bush.

    "So you tried to put a fire out, but you used gasoline."
    Trying to create Middle East peace by invading it.

    "When the army had to hold the line
    you were nowhere near the front."
    It's well known that when Bush was drafted, well, he just sorta disappeared.

    "Before the kids could tell the dog goodbye
    you were loading up your gun."
    Despite the fact that he attempted to escape Vietnam, he was quick to send young men off to war.


    Flag sdozemanon January 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Anyone else see the irony in this song?
    Gasoline and fire
    ghosts and smoke
    drowning in holy water
    ... the list goes on. it's incredible
    Flag rhorowon August 24, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:might be..."we all try to find a way"
    ....either way...brand new's four albums are pretty damn different from one another...name another band that retains a loyal following despite changing its sound and direction (both lyrically and vocally) as they have...its great to see...i think a lot of people who got into them in their teens have kind of grown in the same ways of the band (with our without the religious aspects)...im glad they make music
    Flag derekjw203on June 11, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:oh, and "fade away" not fake
    Flag jverville4410on May 03, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:could it be
    "i want to know why there is a great divide"

    and i think the rest is correct
    Flag jverville4410on May 03, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:Wait, what am I thinking? This song is a direct reference to Isben's "Ghosts"!

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

    The play is basically about a bunch of hypocrites. The main character's son dies from syphilis, the pastor actually burns down a school and claims it wasn't him (or believes he burnt it down, forgot which). But regardless, the mother's wishes to get rid of her dead husband's baggage fails as her son, who was shipped away off to France so he wouldn't be corrupted becomes the living ghost of his father.

    The play isn't long and it was a play which tried to put a strong woman fighting all the corruption around her. As a result the critics of the time hated and loathed the play. Shows how right Isben was, doesn't it?

    The "You" in the song refers to each of the characters at separate times but, more importantly, the people it refers to are the authority. Whether this is a blast at the industry, Church, or anything I don't know. But the feelings behind it are clear as well as it being based of "Ghosts".

    It shorter words, "Like many of Ibsen's better-known plays, Ghosts is a scathing commentary on 19th century morality." This song is a scathing commentary on the morality of now.
    Flag Ben9292on April 25, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:Quite obviously this song is about a man who is part of a Church. "I think your drowning in holy water
    I think it's time we all come clean." The absurdity of holy water not making him clean means the water is tainted, or at least the person in it is.

    It seems like Lacey, or whoever wrote this song or whoever is supposed to be taking the first person, knows about the secret (It could be child-molesting, it could be burning down a church, it doesn't matter really as much as the person reacting to it. My money is on child molesting due to the lonesome line.) and is facing one hell of a battle trying to point out the guy for the bastard he is (having a train going into him, catching a ghost when dead...as if that would do anything, holding on to smoke....all impossibly...or practically impossible things to do/live through.)

    Notice that the man is also a taker. He won't fight for things (front lines) but will hastily take lives at the same time. He wants the spoils. Whoever is in the first person wants to know what separates him from others (great divide) which is reflected in that the crook thinks that he is special for being lonely.

    But, with "I want to know what I’ve become." and the references to killing himself he may be saying he wants to be judged because he is guilty too. It may be that he has done the same thing as the crook but isn't getting away with it. This comment is more of just a jumping off point I guess.

    Flag Ben9292on April 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I think this is about trying to calm down from being very angry about a certain situation.
    "So you tried to put a fire out, but you used gasoline"-
    the person was trying to calm down, but thought about the situation more and got themselves even more furious.
    "and when the congregation gathered round
    you were screaming "it wasn't me""-
    the person is trying, but can't explain why they're so angry.
    "I swear it's like dying to catch a ghost, It feels like I'm trying to hold smoke"-
    the person is trying but failing to hold in their anger.
    "I want to know what is the great divide, I want to know what I’ve become"-
    the person is trying to figure out what has made him this way.
    Flag leglessfugitiveon March 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Drowning in holy water" could be the symbol of Baptism
    "i think it's time we all come clean" the effects of Baptism?
    Flag chazzumson March 07, 2010   Link

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