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I don't know what it is, but you got to do it
I don't know where to go, but you got to be there
I don't know where to fall, but I know that's it's comfortable where
I don't know where it is
Putting all of my time in learning to care,
And a bucket of rhymes I threw up somewhere
Want a locket of who made me lose my perfunctory view,
Of all that is around and of all that I do
So I knock on the door, take a step that is new
Never been here before, is there anyone else who's too in love with beauty?
Playing all of the games, and thinks three's company
Is there anyone else who has slightly mysterious bruises?
I don't know what it is
Sick of looking around at friendly faces, all declaring a war on far off places
Is there anyone else who is through with complaining about what's done unto us?
So I knock on the door, and I am on a train going God knows where to
To get me over, to get me over
Get me heaven or hell, Calais or Dover
I was hoping the train was my big number
Taking the Santa Fe and the Atchison Topeka
But we're chugging along, Dunaway by the crossing
And could be heading for Poland or limbo or Lower Manhattan
Find myself running around
I dont know what it is, to get me over
I dont know what it is, to get me over
I dont know what it is, to get me over
To get me over
You got to do it...
You got to be there... |
- "knock on the door" - come and knock on our door… from the Three's Company theme
- "take a step that is new" - alludes to the theme song of Three's Company (TV show)
- "three's company" - reference to the television sitcom, Three's Company (1977-1984)
- Calais/Dover - Dover is across the English Channel from the French port of Calais
- Santa Fe and Atchison Topeka - railway system which runs through much of the U.S.
- Dunaway - could refer to a Faye Dunaway's films, Midnight Crossing or Miller's Crossing
- Poland - European country next to Germany
- Limbo - home (neither heaven nor hell) of the souls of unbaptized pagans and children
- Lower Manhattan - part of New York City, NY
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- "When I first came up with the lines, I don't know what it is, but you got to do it/ I don't know where to go but you got to be there, I was at this party for The Strokes in New York. There was this prevailing sense of, "We're not quite sure what's happening or what is cool, but we know that it's somewhere around here, in this room." It was this vague confusion, with everybody kind of sniffing for blood. It wasn't that it was a bad party, or that I don't like The Strokes; I just think there's a lot of confusion right now in the music business. Then, later on, I realized the song was really personal. I didn't know where I was, and I didn't know I was actually lost. It wasn't about the party at all; it's about searching but not knowing what you're searching for. There's the train motif, being on this train heading for either oblivion or salvation and just holding on for dear life. That song came down from some mountain somewhere, because it was right after I wrote it that I sort of packed it in."
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