Straight Up Sideways
Lainey Wilson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴There′s a reason why we put a week of work in
So we can do whatever we want on the weekend
It's when you take your blue collar off and let your neck turn red
Everybody does it just a little different
So when we wind up all the same, what′s the difference?
Yeah, you better get to livin' it up before you wake up dead

A-tip 'em back ′til you can′t walk

Cut loose like a chainsaw
Plastered like a drywall
Hammered like an old bent nail
Jacked up like a four-by
'Bout as buzzed as a Bud Light
Long gone as last night
Loaded like a buckshot shell
There′s more than one way
To get straight up sideways

You can do it in the sticks in Mississippi
Or on a rooftop, New York City
From the Carolina Coast to a California beach
Y'all raise one up with me

Tip ′em back 'til you can′t walk
Cut loose like a chainsaw
Plastered like a drywall
Hammered like an old bent nail
Jacked up like a four-by
'Bout as buzzed as a Bud Light
Long gone as last night
Loaded like a buckshot shell
There's more than one way
To get straight up sideways
Straight up sideways

A-tip ′em back ′til you can't walk
Cut loose like a chainsaw
Plastered like a drywall
Hammered like an old bent nail
Jacked up like a four-by
About as buzzed as a Bud Light
A-long gone as last night
Loaded like a buckshot shell
There′s more than one way
More than one way
To get straight up sideways (woo)

Straight up sideways
Come on

Overall Meaning

In Lainey Wilson's song Straight Up Sideways, the lyrics highlight the idea of the weekend being a time for enjoyment and escape from the mundanity of everyday life. The line "There's a reason why we put a week of work in, so we can do whatever we want on the weekend" sets the tone for the rest of the song. It's a time to unwind and let loose, letting go of the constraints of society and societal expectations. The song emphasizes the need to live life to the fullest, stating, "Yeah, you better get to livin' it up before you wake up dead." The lyrics also showcase the idea that everyone has their way of letting loose, with the line, "Everybody does it just a little different, so when we wind up all the same, what's the difference?"

The chorus emphasizes the different ways people let loose and enjoy themselves, from getting "plastered like a drywall" to being "jacked up like a four-by." The lyrics encourage the listener to embrace their own way of having a good time as there is "more than one way to get straight up sideways." The song also highlights the sense of community and shared enjoyment, with the lines "Y'all raise one up with me" and "Come on."

Line by Line Meaning

There's a reason why we put a week of work in
We work hard all week so that we can enjoy the weekend and let loose.

So we can do whatever we want on the weekend
The weekend is a time to have fun and do whatever makes us happy.

It's when you take your blue collar off and let your neck turn red
The weekend is a time to shed our professional selves and relax, letting our down-to-earth personalities shine through.

Everybody does it just a little different
Everyone has their own way of letting loose and having fun on the weekend.

So when we wind up all the same, what's the difference?
Even though we all have our own ways of having fun, we still end up in the same place - just having a good time with friends.

Yeah, you better get to livin' it up before you wake up dead
Life is short, so we should enjoy every moment we can, especially on the weekends when we have the free time to do so.

A-tip 'em back 'til you can't walk
Drink and have a good time until you can't stand up straight anymore.

Cut loose like a chainsaw
Let go of your inhibitions and have a wild time.

Plastered like a drywall
Get drunk to the point where you feel like you're stuck to the wall.

Hammered like an old bent nail
Get drunk to the point where you feel beaten down and crooked like an old nail.

Jacked up like a four-by
Get so excited that you feel like you could lift a 4x4 truck.

'Bout as buzzed as a Bud Light
Get buzzed off of beer, especially Bud Light.

Long gone as last night
The previous night's festivities are over and it's time to start a new day of partying.

Loaded like a buckshot shell
Get drunk to the point where you feel like a shotgun shell, ready to explode.

There's more than one way
There are many ways to have fun and get wild on the weekends.

To get straight up sideways
To have a good time to the point where you feel like you're sideways, off balance.

You can do it in the sticks in Mississippi
You can have a good time in a rural setting like Mississippi.

Or on a rooftop, New York City
You can have a good time in an urban setting like New York City.

From the Carolina Coast to a California beach
You can have a good time in any location, whether it's near the coast in the Carolinas or in California.

Y'all raise one up with me
Let's raise a glass and have a good time together.

Straight up sideways
Having a good time to the point where you're off balance and feeling wild.

Come on
Let's have a good time!

Writer(s): Reid Isbell, Jason Nix, Dan Alley, Lainey Wilson

Contributed by Riley C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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