Meaning of "Walk the line"

What is "walk the line" in Johny Cash's song "I Walk the line" meant?

Followed the rules/Did what he was told to

This emaning doesn't seems fit to Johnny Cash's song "I Walk the Line". If walk in the line means following the reule then what did Johnny Cash's lyrics of "I walk the line" mean?

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you're mine, I walk the line

SB

The sense fits in that song. Johnny Cash enjoys doing things his wife doesn't like. but he makes an effort to curb his natural impulses for love of her.

b

I see. Thank you very much.
SB

Not at all . I've been thinking further about this, and I think my previous reply may have been too general. He starts by saying "I keep a close watch on this heart of mine", so I think maybe the whole song is about not falling for other women. (I have no idea what "I keep the ends out" mean though.)

b

Johnny wrote "I Walk the Line" when he was married to his first wife, Vivan. It was sort of his pledge to be faithful to her while he was on the road touring. "I keep the ends out for the tie that binds" is a reference to his marriage, though I can't quite interpret the "ends out" part exactly....imagery was never my strongest suit.

Did he meet his second wife on the road? ;-)

Tdol said:

Did he meet his second wife on the road? ;-)

Click to expand...

LOL Yes. Goes to show....never trust a man who writes fidelity songs. ;-)

Or one who doesn't.

Mind you, it have really driven her mad to hear him singing it with June on backing vocals. ;-)

1. To maintain a fragile balance between one extreme and another. i.e.: good and evil, sanity and insanity, decency and decadence, etc.

2. To behave; to abide by the the law and/or to abide by moral standards; to walk a straight path of decency by following the rules; to "walk the straight and narrow."

The latter definition is that applied in the song "Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash.


1. I walk the line between good and evil.

2. I used to be a drunken thug, but now I walk the line.

If a man has to emphasis many times that he'll loyal to his wife then mostly likely he won't. We'll never remind ourselves to breath as this is natural.

Thank you for all the above explanations. They have answered my puzzle.