Eagles: Take it to the Limit Meaning
Song Released: 1976
Take it to the Limit Lyrics
When the bright lights had faded from view
I was thinking 'bout a woman who might have
Loved me and I never knew
You know I've always been a dreamer
(spent my life running 'round)
And it's so hard...
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Take it to the limit to me means that he is empty because he doesn't have hopes or dreams because nothing ever seems to work out the way he's wanted. Life is dull and he is restless. He can no longer deny his way of living out his life has been very empty and his responsibility to others keeps him in this unfulfilling life. So he fantasizes or has actually talked to a women that he really doesn't know well but feels a deep connection too, or is unable to forget. He had let her go but is unsure of his decision now. He is drawn to the memory of her and she had made her feelings for him known. She might have loved him. He wonders if she'd still want him if he went after her now. He realized in his unrest that his life isn't appealing anymore even to him. Therefore he's having second thoughts and wants to get on the road after her. Just show me a sign and I'm out of here! He's dying for anything good to happen because he had faithfully followed the same patterns of behavior that have left him feeling empty, or played it safe and it's killing his spirit. He wants to have the guts to leave his responsibilities and live for himself but the people in his life don't consider his need to be free and follow his dream because he wears a mask of happiness for the sake of others. He wants to leave his situation and find that woman he can't forget to see if she is the dream of love that he has hoped for. No one seems to care if he's happy or free or sad because he is such a good faker for the sake of others that no one sees him and his need to be happy on his terms. ... If they knew... Maybe they would let him go. He lays his life on the alter for others because he feels it's selfish to leave, and then he blames others that they don't care about his freedom. But they don't know his heart. He is in need of a the kind of love from a woman he has never known and dreams about.
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The Human condition is complex and unknown. Clearly though being vulnerable as a man is not hard wired through evolution. Men often search endlessly for the elixer to freedom. The passing of Glenn is touching as he relinquished and self actualized, a huge family man.
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it is not my interpretation, but randy meisner the guy that co-wrote the song said it is about keep plugging away in life. Randy Meisner explained: "The line 'take it to the limit' was to keep trying. And just to take it to the limit one more time, like every day just keep punching away at it. That was the line, and from there the song took a different course."
Amazing how wrong people's interpretations can be!!! -
The song is about a man who can't settle down and flees every relationship he is in because of a haunting obsession that there is another girl out there that could make him happier. "Thinking about a woman who might have loved me and I never knew". The chorus describes the final stage in the latest cycle as he drives off and leaves town. We know he has done this before "spent my life running round" and although the singer believes he is fleeing just "one more time", the listener suspects this will happen over and over again.
The song beautifully describes a common male predicament, feeling restless in relationships while craving freedom and a chance of finding someone perfect. Many men fall into this trap of fantasising about what they might have had rather than making the most of the relationships that they are in. It could be the way that we are hard-wired. -
This song discribes a person that has narcissistic personality disorder. And was in a relationship a girl that loved him but he is unable to reciprocate that love but attempts to go thru the motions. She is hurt. She keeps pulling back and be manipulates his way back in till she has had enough. He then goes looking for anyone to fill his need for narcissistic supply. And hopes the next girl he is with won't figure out that he has a problem. He had again and again started up the old relationship by any means to get back the girl that made him feel good. And she had taken him back many times. But he always screws up. And she again reaches her limit.and can not be with him anymore. There is a limit to what a person in a one way relationship can take.
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It was a long time ago in my memory, but I think I recall hearing that the song was written in memorial to Duane Allman, (Allman Brothers)who died in a motorcycle crash. The lyrics would be about his unfulfilled life and the fact that he always would push his motorcycle to the limits. Kind of like saying my life has been a real drag, and my response to that is in your face suicidal behavior.
Here is about Duane's Death:
Duane Allman died not long after the Fillmore East album was certified gold, killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 in Macon, Georgia, The popular version of the accident was that he collided with the rear of a flatbed truck that had turned in front of him. However it has been revealed in recent years that the truck had turned before Allman was in view due to the road being on a slope. When Duane topped the crest of the hill it can be only assumed that he simply was going to swerve behind the truck. It is well known that Duane always broke speed limits on his motorcycle and on this day it would cost him his life. As he neared the truck and started the swerve the road dipped sharply and as he rode up out of the dip the motorcycle became airborne causing Duane to fly off the bike and land on the pavement. The motorcycle then landed on him with both sliding into a curb. Duane was taken to a hospital but never regained consciousness. He died from massive internal injuries. -
I believe the meaning of the song reflects around the idea of reminiscing. The character telling his story, looks back at his oblivious state, realizing how much he might have missed out on. Love is brought up in the song as well, it's described as something that slipped if there was such an emotion existing at one point. This man wants to go back to everything, play it all over at the highest degree possible, just one more time.
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This song to me is haunting, when my uncle was in his early twenties wrote down the lyrics to part of this song left it on the table, my grandmother found it, then shorty received a call , my uncle had been in a head car collision. I believe his interpretation of the song was suicide.
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This song is my inspiration since I have heard it though I do not have the cd.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I love this song: to me it's about person who tells someone they love, that they will always love them, and to "Take it to the limit, ONE MORE TIME" Meaning, there will always be "a one more time" because I love you. And, although the person continues to chase dreams, get lost, etc, the person loves them and no matter how far that lost-ness, etc, they will always love that person.
I have a boyfriend who runs from being loved and I told him this is my song to him. That if it all fell to pieces tomorrow, I WOULD STILL BE HIS.
Such an amazing song. My all time fav song -
I think that the deeper meaning of take it to the limit one more time is someone who has an expansive drive to experience life to the fullest but is realizing that maybe material things and situations are getting him nowhere. In this case he has not identified where to direct his energy and has so far been going towards the common materal places/relationships, partying or whatever and is disappointed with the outcomes or maybe just bored. There is a sense when he says when there's nothing to believe in he is looking for something higher but is unable to because he keeps returning to the same material patterns which get him nowhere. When he is looking for his freedom and nobody seems to care when he can't find the door, can't find it anywhere, when there's nothing to believe in then take it to the limit again. He seems to be tired of "the limit" that exists everywhere in the material world and be wanting the "limititless" something more spiritual but just doesn't realize it yet. He does not know how to direct his potential and is wasting himself.
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I think this song might deal with being on the road, in a band. These guys party every night, taking it to the limit, different girls, different cities.
Maybe he made love to a lot of women, but never had a woman love him.
He spent all his time on the road, making money. but would anybody really want him, if he weren't a rock star. (If it all fell to pieces tomorrow Would you still be mine?)
Looking for freedom, can't find the door and nothing to believe in, to me means the road is an empty existence and he wants out, but its all he's known so where do you go. How can you ever have a normal monogamous relationship when you've been on the road banging roadies your entire life?
Put me on the highway and show me a sign. and take it to the limit one more time. Again, the road is all he knows, so put him back on that bus, point to a town and lets just keep doing what we been doing
hmm, I don't know, that's my take -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I think this is about a guy who is thinking about his life, about how he has always moved on from one thing (whether they were ideas, women, or even places) to another but never really thought about it. I tend to think he is thinking about a girl who he knew who may have loved him, but he hadn't noticed it at the time. He has always been a dreamer, and his dreams have constantly changed to reflect his current desires. Now however, his dreams are starting to repeat themselves, and he knows that his times of running around are almost over.
In the second half-and this is the part that confuses me-I think he is talking about continuing to do something or come back to something even when you have nothing to hope for-in this case, him always being on the move. And of course, the old question, "If it all fell to pieceds tomorrow, would you still be mine?".
The end result is him wanting to 'take it to the limit one more time', in other words, he wants to be his old self one more time before settling down.
This isn't my favorite song, but if I hav to pick a song to dfescribe myself, this would be the one.
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