Steely Dan - Jack Of Speed | Текст песни

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• Steely Dan
• Jack Of Speed

Teddy's rolling now most every night
Skatin' backwards at the speed of light
He's changed - in a thousand little ways
He's changed - yes indeed
You know he's movin' on metal, yes he's
Hanging tight with the Jack of Speed

Sheena's party - there's a case in point
That right-wing hooey sure stunk up the joint
He's gone - he walks through the old routines
But he's gone - guaranteed
He may be sittin' in the kitchen, but he's
Steppin' out with the Jack of Speed

You maybe got lucky for a few good years
But there's no way back from there to here
He's a one way rider
On the shriek express
And his new best friend is at the throttle more or less

He can't hear you honey - that's alright
Pack some things and head up into the light
Don't stop - he'll be callin' out your name
But don't stop when you hear him plead
You better move now little darlin' or you'll be
Trading fours with the Jack of Speed

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* The "Jack of Speed" is an addict under the influence of speed, meth, crystal, etc. Very popular these days, and the downfall of many a good man and woman. Unlike many other drugs which are anti-social right from the beginning, speed seems to fool people into thinking they are productive, initially. Then, one day they're at a party, and spewing political hogwash (speed addicts often come across as arrogant, pompous blow-hards), or intimidating their loved-ones, or simply skating backwards at the speed of light socially, losing friends, property and time in the process. The shreik express represents the swift and unwavering progression of one's demise when under the drug's spell, as fast and predicatable as a speeding locomotive, and with his "new best friend at the throttle", Jack won't be the one deciding when the ride is over .
* This song is simply about Ted Kennedy and the Chappaquiddick incident-Sheena's Party
* I think the song is about MDMA (rolling) which is a stimulant.
* The last verse is a warning to the loved ones to save yourselves, before it's too late. The attraction as well as the sure destruction of the drugs are so strong and bewitching, that anyone wishing to make it had better just plug their ears and run, as fast as you can, in the other direction.

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Song Meaning:

"Teddy's rolling now most every night" - this is just straight up, no metaphors or anything. rolling is slang for on MDMA or uppers.

"Skating backward at the speed of light" - I would guess this is talking about devolving socially as a result of a drug habit.

"He's changed - in a thousand little ways
He's changed - yes indeed
You know he's movin' on metal, yes he's
Hanging tight with the Jack of Speed"
The addiction has changed him subtly, and hugely. Moving on metal just kinda reminds me of someone who's wired. Jack of Speed = drug

"one way rider" theres no coming back
"new best friend is at the throttle more or less" the drugs has control

"don't stop, he'll be calling out your name but dont stop" -he will try to convince or reason with you but you can't trust a word of it.

"Moving on metal" may refer to the metal of railroad rails.

"Shriek express" to me refers to quickly becoming a laughingstock.

"Trading fours" refers to music, mainly jazz. The "fours" refers to common time, i.e. 4/4 (four quarter notes per measure). When two soloists trade fours, they alternate soloing for a measure (playing off each other so to speak). But metaphorically, "trading fours" refers to two people arguing pointlessly. So they're saying it's pointless to try to argue with a speed addict.
"Trading fours" is a music slang for when two soloists battle on stage