Fiona Apple – I Know

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Send "I Know" Ringtone to Cell

So be it, I’m your crowbar
If that’s what I am so far
Until you get out of this mess
And I will pretend
That I don’t know of your sins
Until you are ready to confess
But all the time, all the time
I’ll know, I’ll know
And you can use my skin
To bury secrets in
And I will settle you down
And at my own suggestion,
I will ask no questions
While I do my thing in the background
But all the time, all the time
I’ll know, I’ll know
Baby-I can’t help you out, while she’s still around
So for the time being, I’m being patient
And amidst this bitterness
If you’ll just consider this-even if it don’t make sense
All the time-give it time
And when the crowd becomes your burden
And you’ve early closed your curtains,
I’ll wait by the backstage door
While you try to find the lines to speak your mind
And pry it open, hoping for an encore
And if it gets too late, for me to wait
For you to find you love me, and tell me so
It’s ok, don’t need to say it.

Send "I Know" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by SNYder

Track duration: 04:55


I Know song meanings
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62 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:i would have to agree that this is about loving someone who is in another relationship, or at least is not over their past love.

    i just wanted to comment that i definitely teared up at the final bar of this song.
    when fiona sings,
    "it's ok, you don't need to say it..."
    i just really feel there should be an, "..i know." to follow. BUT IT DOESNT.

    its a PERFECTLY placed missing lyric. the song makes me conclude itself on my own accord.

    great songwriting.
    Flag itsthebtlson September 09, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Being in love with someone who's in a relationship is painful; being there emotionally for them is even worse. If only they knew that the unconditional love they seek is found in you. You can be patient but only for so long, maybe when it's too late they will realize it, but that may just be you comforting yourself.
    Flag redxdevilon February 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Have none of you been in a situation where a friend or a loved one is going through a hard situation, but are unwilling to admit that nothing is wrong?
    And all the time you are watching them knowing that something is wrong, perhaps even knowing what is wrong, but you want them to come to you first, to confess to you that not eveything is fine.
    And all this time you are watching them perform for others.

    Flag auntdewon July 31, 2011   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation:I think it's about unrequited love. "I can't help you out, while she's still around" -- maybe she's in love with a guy who's in love with another girl? That's how it appears to me... a very sad and horrible position to be in. Fiona did an amazing job, as always, expressing her grief in this beautiful song, both the lyrics and the vocals scream melancholy.
    Flag maggotseatingmuffinson May 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it's about insecurity. She's so desperate to be loved that she's willing to ignore red flags. Like your only worth is in what you can give to this relationship. I used to date guys that treated me like crap because I thought if I could make them change then that would prove how much they loved me. You can't date a perfect guy when your self-esteem only allows you the fixer-upper.
    Flag kikiransomon December 31, 2009   Link
  • +5
    General Comment:for me, it's about a girl who's in love with her guy friend. they get along so well and have this amazing chemistry, but he's with someone else. i think the guy is also having relationship problems, but can't seem to break off things with his girlfriend. the girl listens to her guy friend with all his relationship problems, she's there for him and really cares about him. however, she can't tell him how she feels about him yet. she's waiting for him to realize that he loves her too and wants to be with her.

    talk about a love triangle.
    Flag untilrecentlyon October 16, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Also, yes, the "And amidst this bitterness / If you'll just consider this-even if it don't make sense /
    All the time--give it time" lyrics are her pleading to him to consider he may really love her. I think scottp1182002 is bang on, personally.
    Flag missmeon May 03, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:She's 'backstage', so clearly she's the other woman, his dirty little secret. 'Crowbar' means she's a tool to him, i.e. she is being used for his own means, so to make him feel better about himself, to fix his own insecurities...and she knows it, but still she will not leave him. She knows he does not love her, that he will not leave his woman for her. 'I Know' could refer to a lot of things. I think it's mainly just that she knows he's bad for her and doesn't love her and it's never going to happen. Yet still she waits...
    Flag missmeon May 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:She really cares about someone and she wants to be there for that person but she can't for some odd reason. Someone she likes is probably someone who is bad and she wants them badly.
    She also wants to be there for them no matter what happens.

    That person may be involved with someone or she thinks that person is interested in someone else.
    It seems like there has been stale times between the two of them but she's willing to work things out and listen.

    I would love to play this song on the piano but I can't find the tabs or sheet music anywhere.
    Flag SenseiKatieon April 29, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I've read these lyrics oover and over heard the song over and over.. Im a huge Fiona fan as well .. and shes a very dark person. but honestly ... i have to disagree with everyone thats commented hear..infact i joined the site soley to write this comment... I'm sry guys but... in my opinion.. the song has nothing to do with an affair i think its a personal attack at herself .. Imean.. by her past she doesnt have the most respect for men..but Fiona;s lyrics tend to express how she takes all her emootions and experiences so inward that everything becomes so dark and complex to her... I dont think the song is about the obvious assumption.. i think theres a much deeper meaning with perhaps a different message to it lying in the song itself.

    But hell...maybeim wrong .. but i tend to look at things from a different point of view .thats just me.
    Flag pnkrckr87on April 08, 2009   Link

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