The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Traffic" (Trafik) the performer of the song "Zemfira"

Tell me, who invented these traffic jams?

Winter hides in the alleys

Waiting to see what will happen

We're in this metal box

And it's not love anymore, just people who are somewhat alike

Chorus:

I feel your nerves ringing

The gear won't hold, it will snap first

A cold wind will blow through my window

The wave will drown out, ruining the song

You will offer to be together again

I'll remain timidly silent

Everything could have been different

If it weren't for these awful traffic jams

Instrumental break

Someone measures time by the hour

And I live from winter to winter

We're namesakes, you see

I feed myself with miracles

But you understand everything

Exactly three intersections away

Chorus:

I feel your nerves ringing

The gear won't hold, it will snap first

A cold wind will blow through my window

The wave will drown out, ruining the song

You will offer to be together again

I'll remain timidly silent

Everything could have been different

If it weren't for these awful traffic jams

Instrumental break

I feel your nerves ringing

The gear won't hold, it will snap first

A cold wind will blow through my window

The wave will drown out, ruining the song

You will offer to be together again

I'll remain timidly silent

Everything could have been different

If it weren't for these awful traffic jams

Кто придумал, скажи, эти пробки

В переулках зима

Затаилась и ждет, что же будет

Мы с тобою в железной коробке

И давно не любовь, просто чем-то похожие люди

Припев:

Я чувствую, как звенят твои нервы

Шестера не выдержит, дернет первой

Мне в форточку дунет холодный ветер

Волна зашипит, испортив песню

Ты мне предложишь быть снова вместе

Я промолчу исподлобья робко

Все, возможно, могло быть иначе

Если б не эти ужасные пробки

Проигрыш

Кто-то мерит время часами

А я живу от зимы до зимы

Мы с ней, видишь ли, тезки

Я питаю себя чудесами

Но ты же все понимаешь

Ровно три перекрестка

Припев:

Я чувствую, как звенят твои нервы

Шестера не выдержит, дернет первой

Мне в форточку дунет холодный ветер

Волна зашипит, испортив песню

Ты мне предложишь быть снова вместе

Я промолчу исподлобья робко

Все, возможно, могло быть иначе

Если б не эти ужасные пробки

Проигрыш

Я чувствую, как звенят твои нервы

Шестера не выдержит, дернет первой

Мне в форточку дунет холодный ветер

Волна зашипит, испортив песню

Ты мне предложишь быть снова вместе

Я промолчу исподлобья робко

Все, возможно, могло быть иначе

Если б не эти ужасные пробки

Zemfira's song "Traffic" is a metaphor for a relationship stuck in a rut, much like cars in a traffic jam.

Traffic as a symbol:

Stagnation: Traffic symbolizes a standstill, a lack of forward movement. Similarly, the relationship between the characters in the song is stuck: they are trapped in a routine, their feelings have cooled, only habit remains ("it’s not love anymore, just people who are similar in some way").

Tension: Traffic jams cause irritation and nervousness. The lyrical heroine feels the tension of her companion ("I feel your nerves ringing"), and she herself experiences hopelessness ("a cold wind will blow into my window, a wave will hiss, ruining the song").

Missed Opportunities: Traffic is a waste of time that could be spent differently. The heroine thinks that everything could have been different ("Everything could have been different, if not for these terrible traffic jams").

Other Images:

Winter: A symbol of cold, stagnation, associated with the emotional state of the characters.

Iron Box: The car is likened to a cage, symbolizing isolation and lack of freedom.

Clocks and Crossings: Reflect the different perception of time by the characters. For a man, dates and specifics are important ("someone measures time by the clock"). For a woman, time is cyclical, she lives from winter to winter, believing in miracles.

The Finale: The song does not answer whether there will be a return to the past. The open ending emphasizes the uncertainty and dead-end situation in which the characters found themselves.