Buffalo River Home | John Hiatt Lyrics, Meaning & Videos

Posted by Zora Stowers on Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Buffalo River Home
John Hiatt Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴I've been taking off and landing but this airport's closed
And how much thicker this fog is gonna get god only knows
Just when you think that you've got a grip
Reality sneaks off it gives you the slip
As if you ever knew what it was taking you down the line

[Chorus]
Tearing through the cottonfields and bus shelters

Of the south running helter skelter
Down through the mississippI delta
With no place to call your own
Mixing up drinks with mixed feelings
All along the paint was peeling
Down to an indian blanket on a pony
With no rider in the flesh and bone
Looking for his buffalo river home

I've been circling the wagons down at times square
Trying to fill up this hole in my soul but nothing fits there
Hust when you think you can let it rip
You're pounding the pavement in your daddy's wingtips
As if you had some place better to go
Or a better way to get there

[Chorus]

Now there's only two things in life but I forget what they are
It seems we're either hanging on a moonbeams coat tails
Or wishing on stars
Just when you think that you've been gyped
The bearded lady comes and does a double back flip

And you run off and join the circus
Yeah, you just let that pony ride


Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Hiatt's song "Buffalo River Home" tell the story of a restless traveler who is struggling to find his place in the world. The beginning of the song sets the tone with the singer experiencing the frustration of being grounded at an airport with no foreseeable way to move forward. The lyrics also touch on the idea that reality is a slippery thing and just when you think you have a handle on it, it can evade you.


The chorus of the song speaks to the idea that the journey is not easy, and that the singer is running "helter-skelter" through life with no real home to call his own. The highs and lows of his experiences are exemplified by the mixing up of drinks and mixed feelings, as well as the juxtaposition of the paint peeling and the Indian blanket on a pony.


The song also touches on the universal struggles that we all face - the knowledge that life is fleeting and the feeling of being lost. The final lines of the song suggest that despite the uncertainty of life, it's important to embrace it and let life take you where it will.


Line by Line Meaning

I've been taking off and landing but this airport's closed
I have been moving around a lot, but it seems that I have reached my destination and there is no further progress to be made.


And how much thicker this fog is gonna get god only knows
The path ahead is unclear, and it is difficult to see what lies ahead.


Just when you think that you've got a grip
Just when you feel like you have your life under control,


Reality sneaks off it gives you the slip
Something unexpected or negative happens, and it feels like you've lost control again.


As if you ever knew what it was taking you down the line
You never really knew where life was going to take you.


Tearing through the cottonfields and bus shelters
Traveling through the South, feeling disoriented and lost.


Of the south running helter skelter
Moving frantically and without direction through the Southern states.


Down through the MississippI delta
Traveling through the Mississippi River Delta region.


With no place to call your own
Feeling like you don't belong anywhere.


Mixing up drinks with mixed feelings
Feeling conflicted and unsure about how to deal with your emotions.


All along the paint was peeling
Everything is falling apart, and nothing seems to be going well.


Down to an Indian blanket on a pony
Life has become so difficult that all you have left is a simple item - a blanket on a pony - that represents a simpler time.


With no rider in the flesh and bone
Without anyone to guide or lead you.


Looking for his buffalo river home
Seeking a place to belong, to call home.


I've been circling the wagons down at Times Square
Trying to find comfort in a big city, but feeling out of place.


Trying to fill up this hole in my soul but nothing fits there
Desperately trying to fill a void, but nothing is working.


Just when you think you can let it rip
Just when you think you can let go and enjoy life,


You're pounding the pavement in your daddy's wingtips
You're stuck in a situation that's not really yours or where you feel out of place.


As if you had some place better to go
As if you have somewhere else to be or something better to do, even though you don't.


Now there's only two things in life but I forget what they are
Life feels confusing and complicated, and it's hard to remember what really matters.


It seems we're either hanging on a moonbeams coat tails
Life seems like a dream, and we're just holding on for dear life.


Or wishing on stars
Wishing for things that may never come.


Just when you think that you've been gyped
Just when you feel cheated by life,


The bearded lady comes and does a double back flip
Something amazing or unexpected happens.


And you run off and join the circus
You leave behind all your problems and find something new and exciting to pursue.


Yeah, you just let that pony ride
Just go with the flow and see where life takes you.


Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN HIATT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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