Song Details
Taxi Driver
Green Day has played this song live 22 times
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Song Meaning
Fan interpretation:
The "taxi" in this song could be many things. It could be a literal or a metaphorical taxi that the narrator jumps in to save a hopeless relationship without knowing how. It could be a metaphor for escaping one's misery. It could also be someone dithering over whether to leave the comfort and safety of their current life for something new and dangerous. It's frantic like actually trying to get a taxi in New York City during rush hour.
"I got a suitcase in my hand, don't even know just where I am, so take me to my destination." The narrator is carrying his emotional baggage, unsure where he even is in his mind and asking the literal or metaphorical taxi driver to take him to a destination he doesn't even know.
"Don't want a ride, I need a lift, so drop me to the late night shift, somewhere out of your jurisdiction." He needs to get out to anywhere but where he is. "Late night shift" could refer to the musings and anxiety of sleepless nights.
"Are we alone or are we all we've ever known? Taxi driver, I'm rolling like a stone." He's asking the taxi driver questions about life that no-one can answer, like whether we're alone in the universe, because the taxi driver is his only hope to complete a mission that he doesn't even understand himself. He's "rolling like a stone" as he spirals out of control.
"So take me down the motorway, the highway to another day, I'll take the side street out of vision." He's literally or metaphorically leaving home, on the highway to another day with the taxi driver he's expecting way too much of, taking the side street out of vision from what he's left behind. "Motorway" is British English, whilst "highway" is American English, and the contrast feels representative of confusion and how far the narrator will go with this taxi driver to do whatever it is he needs to do.
"Give me a sign, give me a home." The taxi driver represents fate to the narrator, so he asks him for a sign and resolution (home) at the end of his journey. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't" - he's damned if he doesn't act, but also damned if he doesn't because he'll never know if he doesn't act. Yet he's asking the taxi driver what the mission is because he doesn't even know what he's doing; he just knows he has to do something.
"I wanna get around, I wanna get a new ride." As the song reaches a crescendo, the narrator is deciding that he definitely has to do this.
"I gotta get along, so when the hope comes I'm all go!" He needs to be ready in case he suddenly finds the answer to all these questions he's asking about life, and in case his situation can improve. He could be hoping he saves his relationship, rediscovering a love he's lost, or just for feeling better about life in general.
The "taxi" in this song could be many things. It could be a literal or a metaphorical taxi that the narrator jumps in to save a hopeless relationship without knowing how. It could be a metaphor for escaping one's misery. It could also be someone dithering over whether to leave the comfort and safety of their current life for something new and dangerous. It's frantic like actually trying to get a taxi in New York City during rush hour.
"I got a suitcase in my hand, don't even know just where I am, so take me to my destination." The narrator is carrying his emotional baggage, unsure where he even is in his mind and asking the literal or metaphorical taxi driver to take him to a destination he doesn't even know.
"Don't want a ride, I need a lift, so drop me to the late night shift, somewhere out of your jurisdiction." He needs to get out to anywhere but where he is. "Late night shift" could refer to the musings and anxiety of sleepless nights.
"Are we alone or are we all we've ever known? Taxi driver, I'm rolling like a stone." He's asking the taxi driver questions about life that no-one can answer, like whether we're alone in the universe, because the taxi driver is his only hope to complete a mission that he doesn't even understand himself. He's "rolling like a stone" as he spirals out of control.
"So take me down the motorway, the highway to another day, I'll take the side street out of vision." He's literally or metaphorically leaving home, on the highway to another day with the taxi driver he's expecting way too much of, taking the side street out of vision from what he's left behind. "Motorway" is British English, whilst "highway" is American English, and the contrast feels representative of confusion and how far the narrator will go with this taxi driver to do whatever it is he needs to do.
"Give me a sign, give me a home." The taxi driver represents fate to the narrator, so he asks him for a sign and resolution (home) at the end of his journey. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't" - he's damned if he doesn't act, but also damned if he doesn't because he'll never know if he doesn't act. Yet he's asking the taxi driver what the mission is because he doesn't even know what he's doing; he just knows he has to do something.
"I wanna get around, I wanna get a new ride." As the song reaches a crescendo, the narrator is deciding that he definitely has to do this.
"I gotta get along, so when the hope comes I'm all go!" He needs to be ready in case he suddenly finds the answer to all these questions he's asking about life, and in case his situation can improve. He could be hoping he saves his relationship, rediscovering a love he's lost, or just for feeling better about life in general.
Lyrics
(One, two, three, four)
I got a suitcase in my hand
Don't even know just where I am
So take me to my destination
I don't want a ride, I need a lift
So drive me to the late night shift
Somewhere out of your jurisdiction
Are we alone?
Or are we all we'll ever know?
Taxi driver
I'm rolling, taxi driver
I'm rolling. taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
So take me down the motorway
The highway to another day
I'll take the side street out of vision
Give me a sign, give me a home
Damned if I do, damned if I don't
Oh, taxi driver, what's the mission?
Are we alone?
Or are we all we'll ever know?
Taxi driver
I'm rolling, taxi driver
I'm rolling. taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
I wanna get around
I wanna get a new ride
I've gotta get along
So when the hope comes
I'm all go
Are we alone?
Or are we all we'll ever know?
Taxi driver
I'm rolling, taxi driver
I'm rolling. taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
Taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
I got a suitcase in my hand
Don't even know just where I am
So take me to my destination
I don't want a ride, I need a lift
So drive me to the late night shift
Somewhere out of your jurisdiction
Are we alone?
Or are we all we'll ever know?
Taxi driver
I'm rolling, taxi driver
I'm rolling. taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
So take me down the motorway
The highway to another day
I'll take the side street out of vision
Give me a sign, give me a home
Damned if I do, damned if I don't
Oh, taxi driver, what's the mission?
Are we alone?
Or are we all we'll ever know?
Taxi driver
I'm rolling, taxi driver
I'm rolling. taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
I wanna get around
I wanna get a new ride
I've gotta get along
So when the hope comes
I'm all go
Are we alone?
Or are we all we'll ever know?
Taxi driver
I'm rolling, taxi driver
I'm rolling. taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
Taxi driver
I'm rolling like a stone
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More Songs from Love is for Losers
1)
The Last Time
2)
Taxi Driver
3)
Chasing a Ghost
4)
Body Bag
5)
Love is for Losers
6)
Cult Hero
7)
Kill Your Friends
8)
Happiness
9)
Soul Surrender
10)
Turn Me Loose
11)
Goodbye to Romance