What does Roll Me Away mean?

Bob Seger: Roll Me Away Meaning

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Album cover for Roll Me Away album cover

Song Released: 1983


Roll Me Away Lyrics

Took a look down a westbound road,
Right away I made my choice
Headed out to my big two-wheeler,
I was tired of my own voice
Took a bead on the northern plains
And just rolled that power on

Twelve hours out of Mackinaw City
Stopped in a...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 31st 2015 !⃝

    The year was 1975, riding my MC through lower Mich on to upper Mich, then about 12 hours from Mackinaw City, in a small town in eastern South Dakota, I stopped at a bar to have some food and a drink or two. I meet this girl, Kristi, whose folks lived just a few miles north of town on a ranch, she lived in Iowa and worked at the hospital as a nurse. I left there the next morning and headed out west through Idaho, Montana, and on to Spokane, Wash. On my return trip home, traveling through Idaho & western Wyoming, I stopped somewhere along the route for a break at the river flowing from the Great Divide I had just passed over. There, I came upon two men about 5 years older than me (about 28-30 yrs). They offered me a beer (or two) and we sat a BS’d for a while. They asked me all sorts of questions of where I was going and coming from. I told them of this girl, Kristi, that I wanted to take with me out west and of all the things that had happened to me while I was in Spokane. I talked to them about how hard a time it was leaving Spokane and how I considered staying on there. One of the guys spotted an eagle flying overhead and stated, wouldn’t that be nice to be as free as one of those? Able to fly anywhere you pleased.
    That was in 75’, It wasn’t until mid 80’s when I heard Bob Segers song “Roll Me Away”, taking me back to that moment in time nine years earlier on that roadside rest. Could it have been Seger and another one in his band that had befriended me that hot afternoon in August of that year? Ill never know, I never asked their names.

  2. anonymous
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    Sep 27th 2022 !⃝

    I seen him in concert,and he said he stopped in Rochester,Minnesota. Straight outta the horses mouth. Twelve hours is relative to the speed limit back then.

  3. anonymous
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    Feb 12th 2021 !⃝

    The 1975 Guy's Story is Dead On! 12 hours out of Mackinaw City puts you right at Souix Falls. Perfect! It's GOTTA BE TRUE!

  4. anonymous
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    Dec 9th 2019 !⃝

    Nope. I say that abruptly not to be arrogant or rude. "We"
    miss the message due to limited understanding of "Us". This deeply moving song isn't about braking free from that what has bound "Us". It Is about the last ride, a ride that allows the letting go of the narrative "We" been forced to live with. Leave on your own term, head back were "We" first came, maybe try again. We are here for a reason. Truly Know Yourself, Be One with your Soul and Be Human Being true to our nature. The song is about knowing the truth of this life and not being able to break these chains that hold us, but do have the freedom to step of the stage.

  5. anonymous
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    Nov 3rd 2019 !⃝

    My interpretation of the beautiful song which touches deep in your soul is that life can sometimes get too much. People around you and situations you have no control of can take its toll on you. Roll me away is freeing your mind getting in your car bike or run and roll away from it all. Going east or west we have choices too and we can see where our next adventure takes us. My favourite song with so much meaning. I have only just discovered it and had never heard of Bob Seger he is brilliant !!!

  6. anonymous
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    Sep 15th 2018 !⃝

    Back in 1972 i was just 1 years old and i remeber my older siblings listening to Bob Segar. He has been the most under rated musican far to long. He had and always will have the best music. Thank you Mr. Bob Segar.

  7. Tranquility
    click a star to vote
    Jul 20th 2018 !⃝

    I believe that
    It's about the time in Seger's life that he was thinking about leaving the music life do to the lack of success outside of the Detroit (and Midwest US). With that in mind read the lyrics:
    Took a look down a westbound road,
    right away I made my choice
    Headed out to my big two-wheeler,
    "I was tired of my own voice"
    Took a bead on the northern plains
    and just rolled that power on

    Twelve hours out of Mackinaw City
    stopped in a bar to have a brew
    Met a girl and we had a few drinks
    and I told her what I'd decided to do
    She looked out the window a long long moment
    then she looked into my eyes
    She didn't have to say a thing,
    I knew what she was thinkin'

    "Roll, roll me away,
    won't you roll me away tonight
    I too am lost, I feel double-crossed
    and I'm sick of what's wrong and what's right"
    We never even said a word,
    we just walked out and got on that bike
    And we rolled
    And we rolled clean out of sight

    We rolled across the high plains
    Deep into the mountains
    Felt so good to me
    Finally feelin' free

    Somewhere along a high road
    The air began to turn cold
    She said she missed her home
    I headed on alone

    Stood alone on a mountain top,
    "Starin' out at the Great Divide
    I could go east, I could go west,
    it was all up to me to decide"
    Just then I saw a young hawk flyin'
    and my soul began to rise
    And pretty soon
    My heart was singin'

    Roll, roll me away,
    I'm gonna roll me away tonight
    "Gotta keep rollin, gotta keep ridin',
    keep searchin' till I find what's right"
    And as the sunset faded
    I spoke to the faintest first starlight (I think he's referencing the childhood saying "Star light Star bright, first star I've seen tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight".)
    "And I said next time
    Next time
    We'll get it right"....
    and man did he!

  8. anonymous
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    Apr 9th 2018 !⃝

    12 hours outta Mackinaw city puts him in Rochester MN. He stopped at the North Star bar. Is a great biker hang out!

  9. anonymous
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    Apr 7th 2018 !⃝

    "Roll me Away"...parla del puro sesso con una sconosciuta (pre-AIDS) compiuto con gioia e spensieratezza, almeno io interpreto così come Inglese (giovane negli anni '70)

  10. anonymous
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    Aug 2nd 2017 !⃝

    It's about getting on a motorcycle taking off leaving all your cares behind no worries just being free.

  11. anonymous
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    Nov 24th 2016 !⃝

    Just needed to get away.

  12. anonymous
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    Oct 6th 2014 !⃝

    Freedom!!!!

  13. anonymous
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    Oct 2nd 2014 !⃝

    Bob Seger said that he got on his motorcycle and road from Mackinaw city north through the U. P. down through Wisconsin just 12 hours out of Mackinaw city was in Rochester Minnesota

  14. dominicd
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    Feb 27th 2014 !⃝

    '12 hours out of Mackinaw City' probably has him somewhere in Iowa or Nebraska -- "We rolled across the high plains - Deep into the mountains .." The Rockies? A great song, and one that can easily be identified with in terms of freedom, and cutting loose and free. No one hardly writes, music or poetic ballads like these anymore. Sad that it isn't part of a list that I saw of the "100 Greatest Rock Anthems." :(


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