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I can't seem to face up to the facts
I'm tense and nervous and I
Can't relax
I can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire
Don't touch me I'm a real live wire
[Chorus:]
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-far better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, away
You start a conversation you can't even finish it.
You're talking a lot, but you're not saying anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?
[Chorus]
Ce que j'ai fais, ce soir la
Ce qu'elle a dit, ce soir la
Realisant mon espoir
Je me lance, vers la gloire, OK
We are vain and we are blind
I hate people when they're not polite
[Chorus]
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm tense and nervous and I
Can't relax
I can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire
Don't touch me I'm a real live wire
[Chorus:]
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu'est-ce que c'est
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-far better
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, away
You start a conversation you can't even finish it.
You're talking a lot, but you're not saying anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?
[Chorus]
Ce que j'ai fais, ce soir la
Ce qu'elle a dit, ce soir la
Realisant mon espoir
Je me lance, vers la gloire, OK
We are vain and we are blind
I hate people when they're not polite
[Chorus]
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Lyrics submitted by Novartza, edited by eskimocorn
Track duration: 04:21
"Psycho Killer" as written by David/frantz Byrne
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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My favorite lyrics are the entire second verse:
"You start a conversation; you can't even finish it. You're talking a lot, but you're not saying anything. When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed. Say something once, why say it again?"
I feel like someone is describing my entire view on speaking in public right there. At school and other public places, I'll talk if someone engages me in conversation or if I have something to contribute to a conversation, but when I truly have nothing to say, I don't talk. Whereas some people start a conversation and then don't want it to end. They talk freely, for the sake of talking, and can go on about nothing that's really important. They talk a lot, but... they're not really saying anything. I get so tired of superficial discussions. This could have something to do with introversion vs. extroversion for me personally, but back to the song...
Anyway, I think the rest of the song is about being a psycho killer. The person is uncomfortable, tense and nervous and can't relax. Something is keeping him up at night, ideas that won't go away- "my bed's on fire." Don't touch him, or he snaps and explodes- a real live wire. This person desires to kill. But why?
The second verse appears to explain it. His target is someone who is superficial, has nothing real to talk about, and can't even finish a conversation. He looks down upon this person- "When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed." And I think in the mind of some person with mental instability, who thinks people who are not like him/her are not as good as he/she is, this could be reason to kill. The French lyrics during the bridge, and their meaning- "I throw myself towards glory"- makes it sound like in the mind of this person, he believes he's doing the world a favor by getting rid of his target. It also hints at events that have taken place which are more incentive to kill- "What I did that evening, what she said that evening..." There's more derision and looking-down-upon in the line "We are vain and we are blind."
The chorus is simple, telling the listener to run away from this insane murderer. I don't know what the line "qu'est-que c'est" could be referring to- "what is that?" Well, what is *what*? Then again, it's probably just showing off by speaking in French.
One last thing- Although I think the lyrics of the second verse are sung from the character of the killer's point of view, I can't see how they couldn't be at least a bit autobiographical...
So, I guess there's my interpretation of the song. Hope it made sense.
btw I saw Stop Making Sense in Paris in the early eighties in a packed cinema. Talking Heads were very popular in France.