What does Drive mean?

The Cars: Drive Meaning

Album cover for Drive album cover

Song Released: 1984


Drive Lyrics

Who's gonna tell you when

It's too late?

Who's gonna tell you things

aren't so great?



You can't go on

Thinking nothing's wrong

Who's gonna drive you home

Tonight?



Who's gonna pick you up

When you fall?

Who's gonna hang it up

When...

  1. anonymous
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    Sep 16th 2023 !⃝

    THe two red blood cells of the u.s.p, are a jewish conspiracy that states and indicates that the the people can live if they try.

  2. tm82
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    Oct 24th 2021 !⃝

    I believe that this song is posing questions of what is going to happen after the singer is gone... Perhaps his lover is ignoring the sickness of the couple or the sickness (likely depression/bipolar disorder or toxic personality traits/ substance abuse.. or a combo of such) of the vocalist who is actually pleading for her to recognize the ways she will miss him when he is gone, but as he is so incredibly used to putting her first, he never comes out and states that he needs her help. He does need her to stop "going on thinking nothings wrong" I believe he is speaking to the troubled dynamic between them... He sings to her and worries for her instead of how much saddness he faces or specifically defining what he needs... But we can hear it in his voice..He just knows that he needs her to start seeing the reality of their relationship... He is doing what he can to get her to care enough to see how much pain he is in and is trying to get her to see it and wanting her to care enough to face it with him.. He knows that if she continues to ignore what is wrong with him/her (them) that he will not be able to keep it together, perhaps end his life, perhaps die young, perhaps have to leave but at the end of the day he is speaking in a language she understands, one where best chance for change is by defining what will be missing for her... ie.his honesty or closest version of authenicity she has ("things arent so great ") transportation, (drive her home) supporting of her dreams, catching her when she falls (is she reciprocating??? or is the established role between them for him to always be the strong supportive one?
    The point is that every couple should ideally balance one another and be strong for one another , expect the other to break at times... but has that become such a rigid one sided dynamic that he needs her to know if she doesnt wake up to the reality of his pain and emotional needs like he does with hers, all those ways she appreciates him will go away .. Ironically, all that she will lose in him is that which she is not reciprocating... Perhaps he is actually speaking to what he loves doing with/for her and will miss it just as much if not more... Regardless, the pain in his voice cannot be ignored. I believe artists who demonstrate such warmth and empathy are usually saying more about what their needs are than that of the other person..I cant help but feel it is too short -sided for this song to simply be getting her to change.. We all know relationships are more complicated than that... I think he also wants her to wake up and "Drive" right along side him in the relationship.

  3. anonymous
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    Jun 19th 2020 !⃝

    I just see myself in it. Frustrated and deceived. Frustrated at the friends that no were, at the siblings that are not, deceived at it all, at life as a whole. I am here but I am not.

  4. anonymous
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    Jan 26th 2020 !⃝

    its a song about mental illness and nobody giving a damn hence the wriing on the wall.
    trying to communicate and nobody is listening.

  5. anonymous
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    Sep 21st 2019 !⃝

    To me it's about a guy who liked a girl, and hoped she would like him so he went out of his way to drive her home nite after nite perhaps like I did till one nite she told him she had a ride home so he never offered again.Now he wonders who's going to bother to drive he home anymore.Last I heard she was pregnant and single. I wish her the best but after that nite I never talked to her again.

  6. anonymous
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    Apr 18th 2019 !⃝

    (In an Interview by one of the band members years ago) at a party there was a girl was wasted as per her style wanted lift home by ex (one of the band members)but was told no.no one else would drive her home either.She left the party by herself and got lift home another way but died on way home.Her death was by a humans hands in not a nice way ,not by accident. Heard this in an interview by one of the band members years ago he seemed extremely torn when telling this account . The emotions on his face said it all . If only If only .....things could of been different .......... omg made me cry as he was reliving the account of what happened haunts his soul to say the least ....

  7. anonymous
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    Jan 1st 2019 !⃝

    Drive by The Cars, classic voice and video.

    Regarding the latest comment, it’s really a love song.

    Sorry to hear about your husband. Looks like a sweet husband and really took care of you. Congratulations for being with him that long, that’s really a bonus to be with him. Good to hear this song gives you comfort.

    Have a Happy New Year!

  8. anonymous
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    Dec 30th 2018 !⃝

    I believe it is a love song also. It is my husbands song to me. And yes, I am lucky because he did pay attention to my dreams. He recently died. We were married 33 years. The song is still a comfort to me.

  9. anonymous
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    Nov 25th 2017 !⃝

    It is about any person who has a loved one out of control; a parent, sibling or spouse thinking about all of the danger that loved one is in, both from the behavior and those with whom they associate. Does anyone have the person's best interest in mind or are they being used? When will the loved one realize that they are in this dire situation?

  10. anonymous
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    Nov 20th 2017 !⃝

    She is having troubles, an addicction probably- alcohol, drugs, both or whatever. He is advicing her about what to do, and telling her that although he's always been there to help her, things could change tonight.

  11. anonymous
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    Jun 9th 2017 !⃝

    They were at a party and they offered her a ride home but she got in the car with her drunk bf and crashed and she was wasted in the accident.

  12. anonymous
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    May 20th 2017 !⃝

    myex didnt want to give our marriage a really effort and that just tore me apart cause i was in love with her we have 2 beautiful daughters but that didnt matter to her the song Drive just hit me like a rock&it still does today oh ya thats been 30yrs.ago im great now but i still love that Drive!!

  13. anonymous
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    Jan 25th 2017 !⃝

    It's me feeling how much i loved a woman of my dreams that looked elsewhere to men that had no true love to her !!

  14. anonymous
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    Oct 15th 2016 !⃝

    I think this song is about someone that needs to reevaluate your life. To do soul searching is difficult and he was telling her that she can do it. He will be there for her. He will drive her home tonight.

  15. anonymous
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    Jun 14th 2016 !⃝

    I think he's telling her its not him because in the song between verses he saying bye bye. So basically move on because he doesn't want to be with! Bummer I know someone I had thing for played this song for me and I thought it was more and it wasn't all too true.

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