Jack Johnson - Breakdown Meaning

Song Released: 2005

Breakdown Lyrics

I hope this old train breaks down
Then I could take a walk around
And, see what there is to see
And time is just a melody
All the people in the street
Walk as fast as their feet can take them
I just roll through town
And though my windows...

1. anonymous

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   Nov 15th 2018 !⃝

   The song is about coming to a rut in life and trying to figure out where you're going and what you want. Breakdown is about wanting to freeze time in appreciation for the here and now instead of being caught up in the future and things that don't matter.
2. anonymous

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   May 9th 2012 !⃝

   people who live in big cities walk as fast as their feet could take 'em.we need to take a break and sometimes we want this world to pause for a while and everything is so fast and we miss the beautiful things.sometimes we need to get outta the pressure from work,from our life and sit awhile trying to appreciate beautiful things.
3. anonymous

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   Jan 19th 2011 !⃝

   I think that Johnson is trying to describe a feeling he was having where he felt a lot of emotion but he wasn't quite sure what it really was, he just knew he wanted to breakdown. He sings about seeing all these people on the street and never getting to meet them, because they a hurrying to take care of other more important things, whereas he isn't quite sure where he is going in life, thus, he isn't hurrying. He wants time to freeze so he can try figuring things out, because something doesn't quite feel right. He wants to have a moment to himself so he can compose his thoughts. I am assuming this was written when he was on a train, and he mentions being on the train along with being in a busy place, which was probably a train station.