The Approaching Curve by Rise Against

Album: The Sufferer & The Witness (2006)

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This song tells the story of a guy who is breaking up with his girlfriend, but makes the mistake of doing it while she's driving. The listener is left to decide their fate, but it doesn't look good, as the last line is "Ahead there was a curve approaching, she made no indication of slowing." >>>
Suggestion credit:
James - Fort Walton Beach, FL
This is part of The Sufferer & The Witness, the second Rise Against album on Geffen Records. When they left the punk label Fat Wreck Chords, some fans worried they would water down their sound and sell out, but songs like "The Approaching Curve" prove they still held true to their roots. It helped that they kept the same production team: Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, and kept recording at their studio in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Comments: 10

Nick from Iowa CityI think this song gains an interesting depth when taken in light of the lyrics in The Good Left Undone later in the same album. It seems that perhaps both songs are referring to the same relationship; one which the narrator cherishes, but knows is destructive to his partner, so he ends it. May or may not be related, but I found it intriguing.
Brad from Edmonton, AbThis song is about me and the mind readers present in all media, the fight the couple are having is between me and them.
Jordan from Exeter, United KingdomAnother interpretation of this song is that the car is a metaphor for the narrator's relationship with said girl. The relationship is travelling straight, which is fine for the narrator, but his girl wants more. However, at the first curve, the relationship crashes off the road.
Mirror from Melbourne, AustraliaThis seems like a song about a boy and a girl who did horrible things and loved each other and decided to end their lives together. I think that the boy was thinking about what would happen after they died.

I love the song, music, lyrics, meaning and the way Tim talks like he is telling a story, narrating it, and only sings for the chorus.

Definitely one of Rise Against's best and most original songs.
Wolfgang from Hawthorne, Cathe narrator is telling it as a story, , the conflict presented was hinted at, but never fully explained, it is left unresolved and the woman driving decides she does not want to live life the way it would leave itself, because she realizes life could never go back as it was, so she presses on and does not stop, the narrator cries out to God for help but it is left to the listener to decide wheter or not he answered
Sam from Two Rivers, WiI think that the road is his life and the girl is his conscience you know the thing that tells you what to do. And maybe he wants to kill himself or something i dont know thats my observation
Riley from Saskatoon, Skhey did u guys notice that when he says, "hearts you will steal tonight" it sounds like there is a woman singing along with him
Rich =] from Dunstable, United Kingdomi do believe they crashed because of the reasons already stated. I would just like to comment on how amazing the song is and how the first verse paints a beautiful picture that you can see so clearly in your head.
The Bert from Berlin, --I think that they crashed, too, because the text says "...thats all they've seen" wich sounds like noone does see them anymore. Another passage is "Long since dried, when we are found, are the tears in which we had drowned."
If they get found they eighter got lost or died, and as they drowned i'd say that they are dead now.
Alex from Covina, Cai believe they crashed, because in the end as he says the last line, you can hear what is seemed to be a news helicopter and a man talking about an accident.

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