Being in a relationship or simply having romantic relations with anyone can be an emotionally exhausting as well as an exhilarating experience. The varying feelings that occur are often overwhelming. Not feeling the same as your partner can be heartbreaking and painful for both, but you cannot change how you feel.
The song “Reckless Driving” by Lizzy McAlpine and Ben Kessler exposes some of the extremes in a romantic relationship, using a driving analogy to convey the message.
“Reckless Driving” follows the back and forth between two people who have wildly different views on the legitimacy of their relationship. Lizzy McAlpine uses a clever analogy of being a careful driver, not willing to risk everything for love, and a reckless driver, ready to do anything to be with the one person you care about.
McAlpine expresses her complicated feelings of infatuation and ultimately indifference toward her lover. She views their relationship as something accidental: “I didn’t mean to kiss you, I mean I did but I didn’t think it’d go this far.”
Her partner, on the other hand, feels it to be a genuinely rare romantic experience: “Never felt this way with no one, and I lie when I tell ya, I know exactly where we’re going, I get lost just for this moment.”
After McAlpine and Kessler sing their individual verses, they come together for the bridge and final chorus.
The first part of the song has a very light and acoustic feel whereas the bridge and final chorus switch to a minor key, giving a sense of urgency in the lyrics and the melody.
McAlpine starts the bridge with “Don’t wanna scrape you off the pavement, I can’t be your savior. […] I don’t wanna be here when you kill us both.”
The song continues to escalate with a call and response leading up to the end, “Cause I don’t love you like that (‘Cause I love you like that) I’m a careful driver (I’m a reckless driver).”
This builds until the song ends abruptly with “You’re a reckless driver (I’m a reckless driver) And one day it’ll kill us if I.” This symbolizes the abrupt end to their relationship and, presumably, the car’s crashing.
“Reckless Driving” is not one of Lizzy’s most popular songs by any stretch but its entirely unique story and composition set it apart from not only her other songs but most other music. It was released on McAlpine’s second album “Five Seconds Flat” on April 8, 2022.
You can listen to “Reckless Driving” by Lizzy McAlpine featuring Ben Kessler on all streaming platforms.