Someday they'll find your small town world on a big town avenue
Gonna make you like the way they talk when they're talking to you
Gonna make you break out of your shell cause they tell you to
Gonna make you like the way they lie better than the truth
They'll tell you everything you wanted someone else to say
They're gonna break your heart, yeah

From what I've seen
You're just one more hand me down
'Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

Somebody ought to take you in, try to make you love again
Try to make you like the way they feel when they're under your skin
Never once did think they'd lie when they're holding you
You wonder why they haven't called when they said they'd call you
You start to wonder if you're ever gonna make it by
You'll start to think you were born blind

From what I've seen
You're just one more hand me down
'Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

I'm here for the hard times
The straight to your heart times
Whenever it ain't easy
You can stand up against me
And maybe rely on me
And cry on me, yeah
Oh no, no, no

Someday they'll open up your world
Shake it down on a drawing board
Do their best to change you
They still can't erase you

From what I've seen
You're just one more hand me down
'Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

Lay them down on me
Oh yeah
You're just one more hand me down
And all those knots don't give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
On me


Lyrics submitted by ruben

Hand Me Down Lyrics as written by Robert Kelly Thomas

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Hand Me Down song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I think it's like "Bright Lights" part 2 ... at first he's rather sarcastic about her expectations about going to the big-time. Then the second verse is about the hard cold way of the city that the girl just doesn't know. He's telling her what's going to happen to her after that city gets to her. The city wants her to just blend in to the scenery basically. Then there's the speaker telling her to come back to him and he'll bring her back from it all. The big city has a lot of promises and most of them it can't really keep.

    Jag3892on October 15, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    For me this song is about people using you. About being surrounded by alot of people who aren't really your friends, they throw you around like you don't mean a thing. I spose it comes down to being surrounded by lies and fake friendships or relationships.

    That's how i see it... i know i'm probably wrong.

    Heartsmb20on May 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is one of my favorites off of this album. This song is a lot like my life.

    aRe.Beeon June 25, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about a girl that gets pulled in many directions and has no choice but to follow what has been stilled in her head. And now he is finally here to listen to her problems and let her open up to be the person that she really is inside. BEAUTIFUL song!!!

    diegorockusaon September 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song and I love matchbox 20! Keep going guys!

    zacsteron October 01, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it's about a guy whose liked this girl for some time and he stands by, not able to talk to her, but watching her get hurt in all of these dead end relationships. Hence, "You're just one more hand me down" because she's passed down from man to man. Then this guy decides to tell her that he'll care for her and "maker her love again". A very beautiful song, with well written lyrics.

    mb20rox111on November 05, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I first heard this song the other night with my boyfriend, and it made me cry. I can relate to it a lot..i love it.

    colleeniestarron March 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    my god this is as beautiful as songs go since the first moment i heard it i have cried everytime its played.... god i always feel like a hand me down hence my name! but i feel its about someone who is always looking to belong to replace the love that was never given to her and him saying "just come to me"

    handmedownon April 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    its about a girl who feels worthless and she meets a guy who wants to change that.

    happily_sullenon April 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yes, I almost always cry over this song. I can relate to it fully, but still haven't found the support that Rob is singing about. It's so amazingly, beautifully touching. Some lines are so true. Being lied to, being fooled when you had already given the best of you, can be so hurting. "then you wonder why they haven't called, when they said they'd call you...". You can't help thinking that ther's something wrong about you, or that you "were born blind". And you feel helpless, like a hand me down... Everything about this song is just breathtaking.

    Gabigson August 18, 2005   Link

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