Lyrics for Independence Day as interpreted by oofus

Independence Day Lyrics
Well Papa go to bed now it's getting late
Nothing we can say is gonna change anything now
I'll be leaving in the morning from St. Mary's Gate
We wouldn't change this thing even if we could somehow
'Cause the darkness of this house has got the best of us
There's a darkness in this town that's got us too
But they can't touch me now
And you can't touch me now
They ain't gonna do to me
What I watched them do to you

So say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day
All down the line
Just say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day this time

Now I don't know what it always was with us
We chose the words, and yeah, we drew the lines
There was just no way this house could hold the two of us
I guess that we were just too much of the same kind

Well say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day all boys must run away
So say goodbye it's Independence Day
All men must make their way come Independence Day

Now the rooms are all empty down at Frankie's joint
And the highway she's deserted down to Breaker's Point
There's a lot of people leaving town now
Leaving their friends, their homes
At night they walk that dark and dusty highway all alone

Well Papa go to bed now it's getting late
Nothing we can say can change anything now
Because there's just different people coming down here now
And they see things in different ways
And soon everything we've known will just be swept away

So say goodbye it's Independence Day
Papa now I know the things you wanted that you could not say
But won't you just say goodbye it's Independence Day
I swear I never meant to take those things away
---
"Independence Day" as written by Melanie Jayne/kennedy Chisholm
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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elwyn5150
12-30-2004

 Rated  0 
It's surprising that noone has commented on this song so far.

I don't relate to this song personally, however, Springsteen does a great job of capturing the turmoil of his own relationship with his father.

The title of the song is also fabulously misleading. I was expecting an all-American tune about history but instead, we get a very personally historic song.

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dasquien!
10-28-2005

 Rated  0 
yea this is one of my favorite songs from the river

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jayd44
12-17-2006

 Rated  +1 
For me, this probably the saddest Springsteen song. In fact I think that "The River" contains the most emotional songs- tied with "Nebraska". Just a shitload of songs on "The River" really get me, this one, "The River", "Point Blank", "Stolen Car", "Drive All Night", "Wreck On The Highway". Even "Hungry Heart" has a pretty melancholy story within it, as most people know. But "Independence Day" just has this incredible sense of the loss of something that can never be retrieved- a relationship with a father, the familiarity of surroundings. There are a ton of striking lyrics in this song and the one of them that gets me the most is: "They ain't gonna do to me what I watched them do to you". Thanks Boss.

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nagromnai
02-10-2007

 Rated  0 
Listen to the live version of Growing Up - typical teenage angst, as this is

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nagromnai
02-10-2007

 Rated  0 
Wants to impress his Dad more than his mum

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Dom9360
03-27-2010

 Rated  0 
I think it's a struggle between a son and his father.

Look here: "There was just no way this house could hold the two of us."
-Living in the same house

And here: "I guess that we were just too much of the same kind."
-Like father and son; everyone hates this, and kids hate to admit this.


"I'll be leaving in the morning from St. Mary's Gate."

St Mary's Gate is a hotel and church. More importantly, it's a church in New york. Either way, it's a place where he's staying away from the house (he's leaving "in the morning.")

Of course, there's a lot of references of Independence day (separation; get away; start own life).
-Again, the struggle between him and his father.

Keep in mind the "cute" reference of "papa"; it's a respect thing; he's going to part without fighting anymore.



"And soon everything we've known will just be swept away..."
-Reference to leaving and learning himself; finding himself.


Finally: "I swear I never meant to take those things away."
-Nice exit; a feeling of guilt; he loves his father.

Catch the over "slowness" of the song; he's not angry; he's frustrated, however.

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My Interpretation
zettjh
11-17-2010

 Rated  0 
Of all Bruce's songs, Independence Day brings up the most of emotions in me. The raw, down-to-earth sound just gets me. It sounds so honest I can relate a part of me in it and almost brings me to tears.

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My Interpretation
tmk3131
02-14-2011

 Rated  0 
For me, this song reminds me of my relationship with my ex-wife. When I read the lyrics and change the word "papa" to her name, the song's story rings true. At the very end of my marriage, there was nothing else that could be said, and I had to decide to move away from my hometown and somewhat cut ties with many people that I had a relationship. The darkness in the house definitely go the best of us. There was nothing else to do, we couldn't do anything more. The hurt was present in both of us and I knew it would never leave me, and it hasn't.

By moving, they and her can't hurt me anymore. Only the memories do that now. But at least its just the memories so in a sense, I have had an independence day.

Our words and lines were drawn and there is no chance to ever change them. That is the worst part and how this song affects me. In the end, the two of us were just too different and in some ways too much of the same, and our house just could not have held the both of us.

Leaving town made me feel that they were not going to do to me what I saw them do to you is especially emotional for me as influences in her life made her her and me me.
But I will always love her and will always feel the pain. Difficult combination.

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