Lyrics for Better Man as interpreted by dsfire

Better Man Lyrics
Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop
Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech
As he opens the door, she rolls over
Pretends to sleep as he looks her over


She lies and says she's in love with him
Can't find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can't find a better manx4

Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know
She tells herself

Memories back when she was bold and strong
And waiting for the world to come along
Swears she'd do it, now she swears he's gone
She lies and says she's in love with him
Can't find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can't find a better man
She lies and says she still loves him
Can't find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can't find a better manx3

She loved him
She don't want to leave this way
She feeds him
That's why she'll be back again
Can't find a better manx5

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BethR
04-01-2009

Rated 0 
I don't think it's necessarily an abusive relationship.

I've been this girl, and this song actually spurred a break up of mine, and my ex was nowehere near abusive. It can just be hard to leave after so long.

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kyliecoast
04-01-2009

Rated 0 
It seems she is not in love with her husband anymore. She dreams of a more fulfilling life (colour), yet she is stuck in the doldrums with this man (single colour, red).

She practices her leaving speech late at night whilst he is off at the pub - but when he gets home she loses her nerve. "Take no more" probably refers to his late nights at the pub and other neglect.

She must keep these feelings of not loving him anymore to herself, hence "know-one needs to know". She swears she "knew" him but the man that she once knew is "gone". He probably used to cherish her but they've been married so long that he now neglects her like so and she resents this treatment and knows that there is a 'better man'. Perhaps this better man is someone specific - a previous partner or potential partner, either way, she knows theres someone out there who would cherish her and not take her for granted.

She doesn't want to "leave this way" - probably because her husband hasn't done anything wrong to her (not cheated or abused her, just lost interest in her). They are probably from the era of the stepford wives so that's why she'll 'be back again' to feed him (The men of this era have never looked after themselves and she probably thinks he needs her to cook his food for him and other stuff like washing his clothes).




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kyliecoast
04-01-2009

Rated 0 
"She needs him" probably makes more sense than "she feeds him" and if those are the real lyrics (which I actually thought they were till I read the lyrics on here) - then it probably means that she needs him to support her financially (or otherwise) and that's why she stays.

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Ladyscene
04-02-2009

Rated 0 
It's about an abusive relationship.
"she dreams in color she dreams in red"
what does red remind you of? I know that when i hear
this song i think blood.

But i think it gives everyone a different meaning.
and only one person knows the TRUE meaning of this song.
And that would be the wonderful man that wrote it.

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violinist
04-04-2009

Rated 0 
I think "She dreams in color, she dreams in red" is not about love nor hope but pain and suffering... i think in the first paragraph Eddie states she is not in love, that she's intended to end that relationship but she can`t because it's all that she has and cannot find something better...

later on the song eddie says: "Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know..." I think it means she's ashamed of herself beacause one day she was "...bold and strong
and waiting for the world to come along" but she's not anymore because she feels old and is affraid to be alone and she has no time to find a better man... she's resigned to live her life in that way...

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Fulanita
04-19-2009

Rated 0 
I think "She dreams in color" means she wants something better, but then "she dreams in red", she realizes that it's not possible ("red" refers to blood or pain).

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pfl387
04-29-2009

Rated 0 
I think it's definitely about an abusive relationship. Quite possibly about Eddie Vedder's mother and stepdad because he has mentioned it before. I dont know if anyone has seen the documentary "tough guise" which is about the crsis of masculinity in the united states, but the song is in the background the whole time and it has to do with domestic violence, which Eddie Vedder has always spoken against. This is a very touching, beautiful and sad song at the same time because something needs to be done about the way women are treated in this country and many others. and i am not a woman, i am a man that comes from a family of six men, with no sisters, but i have seen the way my mother and other way are treated and things need to change, we need an egalitarean society.

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seenic16
07-14-2009

Rated 0 
"She dreams i colour; she dreams in red"
This quote has always caught my attention, and this being the first song that comes on this morning i feel i've got it. It seems totally ironical that red can represent so many powerful (yet total opposite) emotions: Love, hate, rage, passion. This song may be written about his mom, but its very obvious it's written for anyone in the world to relate to.

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thecallofktulu1993
08-01-2009

Rated 0 
"I went to the wedding of a pair of Gen-Xers and she dedicated the song to him in her speech.

Evidently people don't think about the lyrics of songs they pick for their weddings. Great way to start a life together, not."
----

That's hilarious lol. But yeah, it is sad how some people disregard lyrics and think they know the whole meaning of a song based on 1 line lol

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pamela3340
09-09-2009

Rated 0 
This song should be for all those girls (like me) who once were (or still are) with jerks, losers, and abusers...because like me you can (and need to ) find a "better man" I know because I did!

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dannyk542
09-29-2009

Rated 0 
Definetly my all-time favorite song. words cannot describe the greatness. its really depressing and a lot of people take it the wrong way. but it is about a bad relationship that the woman feel stuck in because she cant muster up the courage to leave him and she doesnt think she can find "A Better man"

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fabdmode
10-15-2009

Rated 0 
From a woman's point of view...It's so funny how I relate this song to myself, my mom and some of my friends. It's obvious, it talks about wanting to leave because you're just so unhappy and can't take it anymore but don't have the courage...breakups are so hard to do when you loved or still love... It takes balls, lol.

" Memories back when she was bold and strong
And waiting for the world to come along" (I guess love/life is not what you thought it would be, in the past you had diffrent dreams for yourself, and you ended up being hurt and lied to)

Swears she'd do it, now she swears he's gone (You think you'll finally have the guts to put an end, but once he's in front of you, you can't, it will hurt too much. You
stay)
She lies and says she's in love with him
Can't find a better man (The fear of the unknown...maybe you won't fall in love again)

She dreams in color, she dreams in red (you dream of breaking free from the pain, dream red because it's alot of anger, frustration, cuts you up)

Can't find a better man.


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AboveThePain
12-07-2009

Rated 0 
I relate to this song a lot. For me, it's just that I really need him. My worst fear is being alone... I think it'd hurt me more to leave him and not find anyone else than to just stay with him. And as of right now, there is no one else for me. It's not like I have people lined up at the door waiting for their chance. He may just be the best I'll ever have. So I tell him I love him. I tell myself that no one needs to know what happens behind closed doors. And of course, when he's not around, it's easy for me to say that I'll leave him. It's easy to have courage when he's not right there in front of you. But you know, I can't find a better man. So here I am. Does that make sense?

And the "she dreams in colors, she dreams in red" part... I think that's where she dreams of this great life, but then she dreams in red (whatever the significance of the color is). She dreams in red because she's with this guy, and can't find someone better.

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LACEYLAYDEAD
01-05-2010

Rated 0 

Best song live, srsly, got it on video and everything, Ii was AMAZING.
And Eddie has the most amazing voice.

Beautiful song.

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rachelxoxo
01-07-2010

Rated 0 
I don't think this song is about being abused.
I think its about her getting cheated on..

--Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop
Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech
*She knows hes out cheating on her and she wants to tell him its over


--As he opens the door, she rolls over
Pretends to sleep as he looks her over
*He comes in after hes been out all night cheating on her and she pretends that shes sleeping because she dont want to believe that hes cheating on her.


--She lies and says she's in love with him
Can't find a better man
*Shes in love with him so she tells herself hes not cheating on her because shes afraid she wont find anyone else.


--She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Cant find a better man
*I agree with huebert on what he said:
"She dreams in color, she dreams in red" is just an ironic little line thats saying "She can see everything, once you narrow it down to red." In other words, she can only focus on one man but knows there are others there for her.


Anyways this is how i think of this song


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algirlfx0
02-27-2010

Rated 0 
this song is so obviously about a woman who is comfortable with a man.. and she's thinking "i can't find any better than this for me" and she's lying and saying she loves him, but the love has faded away.

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frebeccae
03-03-2010

Rated 0 
"she dreams in color she dreams in red" .

she dreams in color..dreaming of a true love instead of the "love" (red) she has

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Mhowie
03-10-2010

Rated 0 
"she dreams in color, she dreams in red"

Red is an active, affective colour, full of passion and emotion. It is also the colour of blood and fire. A softer red is a symbol of love, mercy and compassion. When intense, red can also indicate hatred. A red dress in a dream would be a sign of strong sexual desire. But red also means sin, rage and the devil. Dark red is a symbol of passion, greed, energy and anger. Light red stands for warmth and affection. Red can mean luck, joy, happiness, energy, action, but also hate, blood, greed, irritability and will power.
from http://www.experiencefestival.com/meaning_of_dreams_about_red


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