☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a man who seeks his happiness by leaving Oklahoma and traveling across the country.
- He wants to go to Arizona or California, where people are supposedly living well.
- The chorus 'Living on Tulsa Time' symbolizes the protagonist's desire to live his own life and not adhere to the schedules and expectations of others.
- The protagonist is determined to prove to everyone that he can be successful, even if his mother thinks he's crazy and his baby calls him lazy.
- The song ends with the protagonist realizing that he should follow his own timing and stay true to himself.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song 'Tulsa Time' by
Eric Clapton are about a man who leaves Oklahoma and travels across the country to find his luck. He drives a Pontiac car and wishes to go to Arizona or California, where people supposedly live well.
Although his mother thinks he's crazy and his baby calls him lazy, the protagonist is determined to prove to everyone that he can make it. He doesn't feel stupid and doesn't need further education, because he is destined to follow his own path.
The chorus 'Living on Tulsa Time' repeats several times and symbolizes the protagonist's desire to live his own life, without adhering to the schedules and expectations of others. He wants to live at his own pace and Tulsa, Oklahoma represents his personal freedom and autonomy.
In the second part of the song, the protagonist is in Hollywood and thinks he's succeeding. He talks on the phone and is convinced he will succeed as an actor or singer. However, his dreams are shattered when he learns he won't be performing in movies and nobody sings his songs. Nevertheless, his mother tells him his baby is fine, which means at least in his personal life everything is going well.
Finally, the protagonist realizes he had no hurry to leave and that nobody would be sad about his departure. He realizes he should stay true to himself and live according to his own timing. The song ends with the chorus 'Living on Tulsa Time', which symbolizes the protagonist's determination to live by his own rules.
Overall, the lyrics of the song 'Tulsa Time' by Eric Clapton are about the search for personal freedom, independence, and the courage to follow one's own path, even if it means deviating from the expectations of others. It is an anthem to individuality and the freedom to live at our own pace.