Well I found me a little girl and I settled down
In a pretty little house in a pretty little town
We got married and promised never to part
Then little by little we drifted from each other's hearts
Now I'm driving a stolen car on a pitch-black night
And I'm doing my best to make it through
Well I'm just sitting down here at the Stanton light
I wanna get caught but I never do
At first I thought it was just restlessness
That would fade as time went by and our love grew deep
But in the end it was something more, I guess
That tore us apart and made us weep
And I'm driving a stolen car waiting on that little red light
I keep telling myself everything's gonna be alright
But I ride by night and I travel in fear
That in this darkness I might just disappear
She asked if I remembered the letters I wrote
When our love was young and we were bold
She said last night she read those letters
And they made her feel a hundred years old
There's a river that runs by that little town
Down into the sea
It was there in the shade I laid my body down
As she flowed on so effortlessly
Now there's a party tonight out at County Line
There'll be dancing down at Seven Trees
From these banks I can see those party lights shine
Maybe she's there, maybe she's looking for me
Last night I dreamed I made the call
I swore to return and stay forevermore
Once again we stood on the wedding steps at Victory Hall
And walked arm in arm through the chapel door
I can remember how good I felt inside
When the preacher said "Son, you may kiss the bride"
But as I leaned over to touch her pretty lips
I felt it all slip away through my fingertips
And I'm driving a stolen car through a pitch-black night
I keep telling myself everything's gonna be alright
But I ride by night and I travel in fear
No matter what I do or where I drive
Nobody ever sees me when I ride by
In a pretty little house in a pretty little town
We got married and promised never to part
Then little by little we drifted from each other's hearts
Now I'm driving a stolen car on a pitch-black night
And I'm doing my best to make it through
Well I'm just sitting down here at the Stanton light
I wanna get caught but I never do
At first I thought it was just restlessness
That would fade as time went by and our love grew deep
But in the end it was something more, I guess
That tore us apart and made us weep
And I'm driving a stolen car waiting on that little red light
I keep telling myself everything's gonna be alright
But I ride by night and I travel in fear
That in this darkness I might just disappear
She asked if I remembered the letters I wrote
When our love was young and we were bold
She said last night she read those letters
And they made her feel a hundred years old
There's a river that runs by that little town
Down into the sea
It was there in the shade I laid my body down
As she flowed on so effortlessly
Now there's a party tonight out at County Line
There'll be dancing down at Seven Trees
From these banks I can see those party lights shine
Maybe she's there, maybe she's looking for me
Last night I dreamed I made the call
I swore to return and stay forevermore
Once again we stood on the wedding steps at Victory Hall
And walked arm in arm through the chapel door
I can remember how good I felt inside
When the preacher said "Son, you may kiss the bride"
But as I leaned over to touch her pretty lips
I felt it all slip away through my fingertips
And I'm driving a stolen car through a pitch-black night
I keep telling myself everything's gonna be alright
But I ride by night and I travel in fear
No matter what I do or where I drive
Nobody ever sees me when I ride by
****
NOTES
Cette version studio de Stolen Car a été enregistrée le 20 et 21 juin 1979, au studio Power Station, à New York City. Cette version utilise un enregistrement différent de la version officielle parue sur l'album The River, et propose un arrangement complètement différent et plusieurs couplets supplémentaires. Cette version est également sortie sur l'album Tracks, paru en 1998.
****
"Stolen Car était un avant-goût d'une bonne partie de la musique que j'écrirais à l'avenir. C'était tourné vers soi, psychologique; c'était le personnage dont je suivrais bientôt les progrès dans Tunnel Of Love. C'était l'archétype du rôle masculin de mes futures chansons sur les hommes et les femmes" (Songs)
****
"Pendant que nous enregistrions le dernier album, un ami vraiment très proche s'est marié, et moi et l'ensemble du groupe avons fait le voyage jusqu'en Californie pour le mariage. Nous étions assis dans ce temple et le rabbin s'est levé et a commencé à faire un sermon... Il disait combien, tant que tu es seul dans ce monde, toutes les choses dont tu rêves et tous tes rêves, ne restent qu'à l'état de fantasmes. C'est comme quand tu t'assoies dans une pièce, c'est comme quand tu écris une chanson. Une chanson n'est pas bonne tant que quelqu'un ne l'a pas écoutée, vous comprenez ? Elle ne compte pas jusqu'à ce que quelqu'un l'entende. Et c'est la même chose avec les gens. Jusqu'à ce que tu sortes, que tu rencontres quelqu'un ou... C'est le premier pas que tu fais qui rend les choses dont tu rêves, le premier pas qui les rend vraies, qui les transforment en un fragment du véritable monde, de la véritable vie. Certaines personnes créent ce lien et d'autres ne le font pas. Et quand vous ne le faites pas, vous finissez par devenir une sorte de fantôme, vous finissez par devenir une sorte de fantôme qui traîne, comme si personne ne vous voyait ou personne ne pouvez sentir votre présence. Cette chanson est une histoire de fantômes..." (New York, 18.12.1980)