Crosstown Traffic
Navigating Love's Traffic: Jimi Hendrix's Crosstown Metaphor
Lyrics
You jump in front of my car when you
You intentionally disrupt my path by jumping in front of my car
You know all the time
You are aware of this behavior all the time
Ninety miles an hour, girl, is the speed I drive
Emphasizes the high speed at which the speaker drives (metaphorically or literally)
You tell me it's alright, you don't mind a little pain
You assure me it's fine, and you're willing to endure some discomfort
You say you just want me to take you for a drive
You express a desire for me to take you on a drive
You're just like crosstown traffic
Describes the person as troublesome or difficult to deal with
So hard to get through to you
Expresses the challenge of connecting with this person
Crosstown traffic
Reiterates the difficulty in dealing with the person, using traffic as a metaphor
I don't need to run over you
States the speaker doesn't want to harm or mistreat the person
Crosstown traffic
Highlights the frustration caused by the person, hindering progress
All you do is slow me down
Accuses the person of slowing down the speaker
And I'm tryin' to get on the other side of town
Expresses the speaker's desire to move to the other side of town
I'm not the only soul who's accused of hit and run
Suggests the speaker is not the only one facing accusations of wrongdoing
Tire tracks all across your back
Describes physical evidence of a reckless act, possibly metaphorical
I can, I can see you had your fun
Implies the person has had their share of enjoyment
But, darlin' can't you see my signals turn from green to red
The speaker asks the person to acknowledge the changing situation
And with you I can see a traffic jam straight up ahead
Anticipates a problem or obstacle ahead in the relationship
You're just like crosstown traffic
Repeats the comparison of the person to crosstown traffic
So hard to get through to you
Reemphasizes the challenge of connecting or communicating with the person
Crosstown traffic
Reiterates the difficulty of dealing with the person using traffic imagery
I don't need to run over you
States the speaker's lack of intention to harm the person
Crosstown traffic
Highlights the hindrance caused by the person
All you do is slow me down
Accuses the person of slowing down the speaker's progress
And I got better things on the other side of town
Asserts the speaker's focus on better opportunities on the other side of town
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