☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a person who dies in a car accident and is brought back to their funeral in a pompous black limousine.
- The lyrics describe the grief of the loved ones and the irony that the person now fulfills their dream of riding in a luxurious limousine, but is no longer alive to enjoy it.
- There is mention of a car race on the highway and a dangerous curve that nobody saw.
- The protagonist remembers the words of the deceased person, who had promised to return to the city one day in a fancy car.
- The song lyrics express the grief of losing a loved one and show the irony of life, where sometimes dreams come true but one is no longer there to enjoy them.
Interpretation
"Long Black Limousine" by
Merle Haggard tells the story of a person who dies in a car accident and is brought back to their funeral in a pompous black limousine. The song lyrics describe the grief of the loved ones and the irony that the person now fulfills their dream of riding in a luxurious limousine, but is no longer alive to enjoy it.
The text begins with the description of a long line of mourners and their expensive cars driving down the street. These people were the wealthy friends of the deceased person who knew them from the town. The newspapers reported on the fatal accident in which the person lost their life. There is mention of a car race on the highway and a dangerous curve that nobody saw. The person is now being driven to their final resting place in this long black limousine.
The text also includes the protagonist's memories of the words of the deceased person, who had promised to return to town one day in a fancy car. Now the protagonist watches with tears in their eyes as the limousine passes by, with a finely dressed chauffeur at the wheel. The protagonist swears never to love anyone else and that their heart and dreams ride with the deceased person in this long black limousine.
Overall, the song lyrics of "Long Black Limousine" express the grief of losing a loved one and show the irony of life, that sometimes dreams are fulfilled but one is no longer there to enjoy them.