In the Car Outside Lyrics
Hi, Beth
Oh, I was just calling you to chat with you
I'm probably going to have to get up at the buttcrack of dawn tomorrow
Oh, I hear Patsy backed out on ya tomorrow
Is she—
Damn it, John (Hmm?)
I lost that frickin’ steel line (Ugh)
Shit
Okay, it's alright
Go fucking find it
Ah, shit, I'm lookin’ man (Ha-ha, fuck)
See, I told you my head don't work right
Yeah, you don't have to tell me that
[Verse 1]
I'm in the car, I just needed to clear my head
She's in the house with the baby crying on the bed
She's got this thing where she puts up the walls so high
It doesn't matter how much you love
It doesn't matter how hard you try
[Verse 2]
We got a place with a fence and a little grass
I put this film on the windows and it looks like chapel glass
But when shе turns, it’s like the shadow of the cross don’t cast
No blеssing over our lonely life
It's like waiting for a train to pass, I don’t know when it'll pass
But I remember when she used to set the room on fire
With her eyes, swear to God
It's like a flood of grief and sorrow from a haunted life
When she cries, like a train, it's a lot
[Verse 3]
I dropped a line to a flickering high school flame
We laughed about all the ways that our lives had changed
She’s up the road, about thirty-five miles north
Got two little boys in school, just had a real bad divorce
And in a moment of weakness
[Chorus]
I told her if she ever needed a helping hand
I would lend, swear to God
It's like the part of me that's screaming not to jump gets lost
In the sound of the train, it's a lot
[Bridge]
Trying hard
Not to cave
Swear to God
[Outro]
I'm in the car outside
I'm in the car outside
I'm in the car outside
I'm in the car outside
About
“In the Car Outside” tells a one-sided story of a man in a marriage that is no longer working out. The main focus is on what a partner might do when they feel like everything has fallen apart and how some people turn to infidelity. Notably, the entire song is from the man’s perspective as he describes the actions and words of both his wife as well as an older love interest.
It is not explicitly stated, but it is possible that the wife has mental health issues that the man is unable to understand or the small town cannot help resolve. Brandon Flowers' wife has mental health issues and he has written songs about her issues and his relationship with her on recent albums; thus it would be fitting for him to funnel that into a story for the album’s small town setting.
Instrumentally, the song is very upbeat and contrasts with the darker message in the lyrics. It has been noted by some critic reviews (e.g., Slant) as well as fans that this song feels like a nod to earlier music from The Killers with its pace and style.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
This song started really quickly, and it was one of those moments that you’re always waiting for. One of the reasons why you get in the garage in the first place is just this communal experience that you can share with people. And it was born really fast, and it was really exciting to be a part of it.
- 1.West Hills
- 2.Quiet Town
- 4.Cody
- 5.Sleepwalker
- 7.In the Car Outside
- 10.Pressure Machine
- 11.The Getting By
