What does it mean to walk the line?

It’s when you walk up and down a long line hoping to find someone that will let you cut in front of them.

Well from the Johnny Cash version I feel like he is saying, that even though people may not agree with what I do,who I am, or what I like.But you still do it because it is who you are even if that means walking the line.I think specifically in this case a relationship with someone.

For example you fall in love with someone but maybe your family, boundaries , life problems stopping you two,but would you be willing to walk the line for that person?

Also a big part of it I think was he love for June Carter, (have you seen the Johnny Cash movie? you should great movie) it will make more sense, when you see the struggles he goes through to get her.

Lyrics are always open to interpretation and viewpoints as they can be very personal so in the end they could mean whatever you’d like them to really that is my take on it…..Hope it helps.

I’m pretty sure it just means to behave, in some cases (like the NOFX song) I think it means to quit drinking. Most references I have heard it’s basically to behave, not drink or take drugs, not cheat on your spouse.. whatever that persons main weakness is. It comes from prisons, the inmates had to take exercise by walking along a yellow (?) line, and if they strayed from it they were punished.

let’s see, it’s like Humpty Dumpty on the wall, and Pink Floyd Thin Ice.

Living on the edge. This is in non-jail terms.

Except that’s not what it means

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=walk%20the%20line

@cazzie your link isn’t defined.

I think to walk the line refers to walking the straight and narrow path of goodness and faithfulness.

@filmfann it was full-on defined when I found it…. it’s a mystery.

Walk the line 212 up, 5 down
buy walk the line mugs, tshirts and magnets
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.

walk the line 72 up, 19 down
buy walk the line mugs, tshirts and magnets
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.

Walk the Line 95 up, 102 down
buy walk the line mugs, tshirts and magnets
1. The title of an awesome movie.
2. The title of an awesome song.
3. What it means is to walk the line when police are checking if you are sober. To be able to walk the line means you got your shit straight and not some bum that doesnt know what to do. To understand it better listen to the song or watch the movie.
June: John your so drunk you cant even walk the line.
John: Oh..I can walk it. I can walk it just fine*hickup*then falls on his ass*

Walk the line means being honest and law-abiding. Squeaky clean with no reason for your wife to leave you or the sheriff to arrest you.

@GeorgeGee I would tend to agree “Walking the line” a.k.a. “The straight and narrow”...

It is a neutral and safe place. With one extreme on one side and the opposite on the other.

Taking focus, dedication and strong moral commitment to walk.

The original idiom was “to toe the line.” That means to behave according to the local laws and mores.

Walk the line means choosing the moral straight path.

It means doing what you’re supposed to do.

@filmfann Try http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=walk-the-line Dashes between the three words (walk-the-line) not the gobbledegook (%20) in your link. Some programmes re-translate the dashes to gobbledegook. ;-)

@cazzie has provided the text from this site.

My understanding is that instead of “crossing the line” to an immoral or illegal act, we “walk the line” by being very close to crossing it. Put another way: We’re “walking on a knife’s edge.”