Tarantula passes by your window
No one takes it as a sign
No one cares which way the wind blows
Someone’s got to change your mind

Every bone has been broken
Rumors of awful scenes
Every word, every language has been spoken
Someone’s got to set you free

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I don’t want to wait for you
Oh, oh, no
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I don’t want to wait for you

The suicide days
Suicide, suicide nights
In a wheelchair, almost blind
Someone’s going to have to pay the price
Someone’s got to change your mind

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I don’t want to wait for you
Oh, no, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I don’t want to wait for you
 
Is it just a separate voice?
Did you hear what they said?
Is it only that you’re lonely?
Did you stay here every day?
Is your lie justified?
Kick your holes through your door
Did you dive with him right on the floor, floor, floor?
 
Oh...
Oh...

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I don’t want to wait for you
Oh, no, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh 
I don’t want to wait for you

No one knows my name
No one knows my name
Walking down the street baby now

No one knows my name
No one knows my name
Walking down the street baby now

No one knows my name
No one knows my name
Oh, we're walking down the street baby now

No one knows my name
No one knows my name
Walking down the street baby now
Walking down the street baby now
Walking down the street baby now

No one knows my name
No one knows my name
Walking down the street baby now
Walking down the street baby now
Walking down the street baby now

---

WEBMISTRESS speculates:

OK, let me say that I am by no means sure that the above lyrics are what he's actually singing! It's just my best guess. I'll keep to generalities! This seems to be a very dark song. He feels beaten down, no one cares about anything, no one knows his name when he walks down the street (yeah, right!). He wants to be set free, he wants to get out of that mindset (this echoes the words of another song, Someone's Gotta Change Your Mind.) As usual, Lindsey doesn't want to wait - perhaps he doesn't want to wait before he gets "set free."

As for the "separate voice" bridge, I'm pretty much sure that at least some - probably a good deal - of those lyrics are transcribed incorrectly...but for the sake of argument let's assume I'm somewhat close. Positing that, in the bridge he seems to be angrily addressing an "ex" (Stevie?) - was she just using him for sex while she was lonely? Was everything she said a lie - did she justify it by some kind of "this was necessary to save us both" psychobabble? I don't think he's expecting any answers.

 

JESSICA speculates:

If it's true that this song was originally called Hit & Run (that track that never showed up), then the lyrics seem to make sense. "did you dive with him right on the floor" and "no one knows my name" support a quick murder or other crime done by someone who's not going to get caught. All the violent images (suicide days, wheelchair, almost blind, every bone broken) seem to be Lindsey's description of whatever this person did. And he doesn't like it. He says that "someone's gotta change" what this person is thinking. Maybe "set them free" from a life of crime and anonymity? Lindsey's sorta like an undercover cop or something, seeing things others don't (tarantula) and trying to make things right.

Want to speculate about "Shuffle Riff"?
E-mail me and I'll post your comments.