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Latest post Fri, Jul 6 2007 5:10 AM by CalifJim. 1 replies.
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B@rt  +  388379 Thu, 05 Jul 07 05:24 PM

"Every town I go to is like a lock without a key  
Those I leave behind are catching up on me" 

How to understand the last verse, the meaning on "catch up (on)" here?

Please help!

Joined on Sun, Jun 24 2007
Poland
New Member 04
CalifJim  +  388561 Fri, 06 Jul 07 05:10 AM
I would say that in this context it's a variant of catch up with.

Suppose you and I want to go a restaurant after work.  I can't go immediately, but I can go after finishing a little more work that I have to do, so I tell you to go on ahead, and that I'll catch up with you later.

Suppose you and I are in a competition -- a race.  After a few minutes you are ahead of me, but you start to get tired.  You slow down.  Now I start to catch up with you.  The distance between us is less and less.  I'm catching up with you.  When I reach you, I have caught up with you.

In the song, it sounds to me like the singer is trying to run away from somebody, but they are following, and if he doesn't keep moving, they will catch up with (catch up on) him.  They will reach him -- which he does not seem to want.  (It's possible that this is metaphoric language for trying to forget while the unwanted memories keep coming back stronger and stronger.)

CJ

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,389
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
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