I picked up my belongings in a nylon carry-all
Heard the porter call

He said "the sky's the limit on this chartered trip away"

I guess I'd better stay

Out there on the desert, I see trees on every wall
Nothing's ever solved

He said "the sky's the limit on this chartered trip away"

I guess I'd better stay away

I thought I owed myself a trip away
I wanted to go to places, I have never been away
I looked at the pictures, imagine where they lay, away
On a beach by the sand, where their clothes all lay away

Clothes, yeah, yeah, free from all the noise, nylon carry-all
Hear the porter call
Horizon is oblivious, chartered trip away
Guess I better stay

Out there on the desert, I see trees on every wall
Nothing's ever solved
Horizon is oblivious, chartered trip away
Guess I better stay away

Aah, aah, to go to places, I have
Places, I have never been away
I looked at the pictures, imagine where they lay, away
On a beach, sand, on a beach, aah, aah, away, away

I picked up my belongings in a nylon carry-all
Heard the porter call
Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
I guess I'd better stay

Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
Said "there's no returning, chartered trip away"
Said "there's no returning, from this chartered trip away"
Said "no returning"
Said there's no returning
From this chartered trip away
Said there's no returning
From this chartered trip away
Said there's no returning
From this chartered trip away


Lyrics submitted by OwnPersonalDemon, edited by jpaulo

Chartered Trips Lyrics as written by Bob Mould

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

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Chartered Trips song meanings
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    My Interpretation

    To expand on the interpretation that this song is about a boy who dreams about running away and taking a bus out of town - which ties into the album's concept - I'd say "Chartered Trips" is about contemplating a "trip away."

    As the saying goes, "the grass is always greener..." and running away to a different town seems like the solution to a problem, but "nothing's ever solved."

    We assume the protagonist takes the "chartered trip away" because by the time we get to "The Biggest Lie" he is considering returning back to his day job, girlfriend, and home town, but is disillusioned with the hypocrisy of it all.

    Regardless of what "Chartered Trips" actually means, it is hands down my favorite Bob Mould penned Hüsker Dü song.

    Bennyshambleson April 25, 2014   Link

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