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The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Depot, Depot" by the artist "Tom Waits"

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In Tom Waits' song "Depot," a poignant picture of longing, uncertainty, and stagnation unfolds. The lyrical protagonist finds himself at a bus depot not for a greeting or farewell but in a state of turmoil and emotional pain.

The recurring question "What am I doing here?" emphasizes his lostness. He is not searching for a path but rather running from something, as evidenced by the lines "It's clear, I'm aching" and "I'm about to break loose." The bus depot becomes a metaphor for a transitional, uncertain period in his life.

The image of the night wind "moaning" on Sixth Avenue intensifies the atmosphere of loneliness and despair. Empty taxis hint at the impossibility of escape, and the struggle with memory becomes an unbearable burden.

The key given to him is a symbol of lost relationships, an opportunity that is no longer available. The hero is deprived of the ability to ask for help ("No tongue to speak with"), and his movements become chaotic, aimless ("shuffling around / The depot").

The mention of "Peeping Tom" adds another layer of meaning. Tom from the legend peeped at Lady Godiva, striving to see what was forbidden to him. Similarly, the lyrical hero longs to look beyond the veil of uncertainty, to find the clarity he lacks.

"A livelier song" is a symbol of hope that could lead him out of this state of stagnation. He clings to images of movement: "I'm flying like a beach ball," "Maybe I'll wait for departure's call" – but they all remain mere phantom chances for deliverance.

The song concludes with the repeated word "Depot...". This technique intensifies the feeling of hopelessness, the protagonist's entrapment in his pain, and his inability to move forward.

Depot, depot, what am I doing here?

Depot, depot, what am I doing here?

I ain't coming, I ain't going

My confusion is showing

And outside the midnight wind is blowing Sixth Avenue

I'm gonna paint myself blue

At the depot

I watch the taxis pull up and idle

I can't claim title to a single memory

You offered me a key

Cause opportunity don't knock

Has no tongue as you cannot talk

You're gonna shuffle when you walk

At the depot

This peeping Tom needs a peephole

And an up-tempo song

To move me along

When I find this depot, baby

I'm on a roll just like a pool ball, baby

I'm gonna be there at the roll call maybe

At the depot

Outside the midnight wind is blowing Sixth Avenue

Ah, tell me what a poor boy to do

At the depot

I'm on a roll just like a pool ball, baby

I'm gonna be there at the roll call maybe

At the depot

Depot

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