What does "takin' it to the streets" mean?

[TF from MN]

Although I admire Michael McDonald's fantastic singing, I never understood this song.

What exactly is he taking to the streets, from where? And what will happen when it gets there?

Is there something I too should take to the streets? And what might that be? What streets does he refer to?

 

[Killing Floor]

In life you’re either the car or you’re the street. You choose to live your life driven on or you blow over the asphalt like a 4 wheeled ghost.

Studies show

 

[mandoloony]

It's about two brothers who own a paving company.

 

[ISmellSmoke]

It means what a fool believes it means...

 

[Telegator]

Taking it to the street is what I do with our garbage can every Wednesday evening

 

[Preacher]

Dancing in the street in the rain, in the dark...

 

[willietheweirdo]

It's something the bartender tells you when you've had a few too many and/or are trying to start a fight.

 

[John Stephen]

It means what a fool believes it means...

Nicely done.

 

[drew1d]

View attachment 1265431

Dancing in the street in the rain, in the dark...

I laughed so damn hard when I read that. Thanks!!

You can either believe what the politicians tell you, in their closed door meetings, announcing to you what the plan is. Or you're "Takin' to the Streets" where the common man lives, and we will tell them what we want, power to the people!!!

 

[Edgar Allan Presley]

To take something to the streets means to riot or protest in public places (like streets), or to organize door to door. In the Doobie Brothers song it's a reaction to poverty and despair.

 

[Holy smokes]

Going public

 

[Dostradamas]

You don't know me but I'm your brother
I was raised here in this living hell
You don't know my kind in your world
Fairly soon, the time will tell
You
Telling me the things you're gonna do for me
I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see




Takin' it to the streets
(Takin' it to the streets)
No more need for running
(Takin' it to the streets)
Oh, na, na

Take this message to my brother
You will find him everywhere
Wherever people live together
Tied in poverty's despair
Oh, you
Telling me the things you're gonna do for me
I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see


Takin' it to the streets
(Takin' it to the streets)
No more need for running
(Takin' it to the streets)
Oh, yeah
Takin' it, takin' it
(Takin' it to the streets)
No more need for hiding
(Takin' it to the streets)
Oh, Lord
(Takin' it to the streets)
Takin' it to the streets
(Takin' it to the)
Oh, you
Telling me the things you're gonna do for me
Yeah, na
I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see
Takin' it to the streets
(Takin' it to the streets)
No more need for running
(Takin' it to the streets)
Oh, yeah
Takin' it to the streets
(Takin' it to the streets)
Before it steps farther
(Takin' it to the streets)
Oh, Lord
Takin' it, takin' it
(Takin' it to the streets)
Hey, yeah, ha
Takin' it to the streets
(Takin' it to the streets)
No more need for running
(Takin' it to the streets)
No more need for hiding
(Takin' it to the streets)
Hey, yeah, yeah
No more
(Takin' it to the streets)
Yeah, yeah
(Takin' it to the streets)
Takin' it, takin' it
(Takin' it to the streets)

From context it seems the author means to change their current state to a better one by going out and being active in the process.

 

[BelairPlayer]

Although I admire Michael McDonald's fantastic singing, I never understood this song.

What exactly is he taking to the streets, from where? And what will happen when it gets there?

Is there something I too should take to the streets? And what might that be? What streets does he refer to?

Every Tuesday night, I grab my trash tote and I take it to the streets. If I don’t, the waste management truck just drives on by.

 

[OldTelePlayer]

What exactly is he taking to the streets

He is taking It

from where?

From a place which is not the streets

And what will happen when it gets there?

It will be on the streets, where It does what It wants to do

Is there something I too should take to the streets? And what might that be?

Yes. If you have It, then you should take It to the streets. It would be It and you would know It if you have It.

What streets does he refer to?

Any streets that are without It and are available



Just make sure you keep It on a leash and pick up any you-know-what It deposits.

"Quick, Blanche! Gimme It's leash. It looks to gotta go right now right away. We just got that new rug so I'm takin' It to the streets!!"

Now I'm certain that the phrase makes perfect sense.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

There's stuff that is, at any given moment, in the streets, and stuff that's not.

Within the set of stuff that is, at any given moment, not in the streets, there is a subset that could be in the streets.

Within this, there is a subset of stuff that cannot get to the streets on its own and must therefore be taken there.

 

[John Stephen]

Although I admire Michael McDonald's fantastic singing, I never understood this song.

What exactly is he taking to the streets, from where? And what will happen when it gets there?

Is there something I too should take to the streets? And what might that be? What streets does he refer to?

Nice thread you've started here. Gettin' goofier by the minute.

 

[Peegoo]

Dancing in the street in the rain, in the dark...

Slowly dying in a remote roadside ditch. At night.

In the rain.



Oh, wait...I think that's a Neil Young signature thing.

 

[MisterZ]

Slowly dying in a remote roadside ditch. At night.

In the rain.



Oh, wait...I think that's a Neil Young signature thing.

Tom Waits.

 

[memorex]

It's the answer to 'Why don't we do it in the road?'.

 

[Peegoo]

Not certain, but there's a good chance it's, "such a long way to GOHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"