Will someone please call a surgeon
Who can crack my ribs
And repair this broken heart
That you're deserting for better company?
I can't accept that it's over
I will block the door
Like a goalie tending the net
In the third quarter of a tied-game of rivalry

So just say how to make it right
And I swear I'll do my best to comply

Tell me am I right to think
That there could be nothing better
Than making you my bride
And slowly growing old together?

I feel I must interject here
You're getting carried away
Feeling sorry for youself
With these revisions and gaps in history
So let me help you remember
I've made charts and graphs
That should finally make it clear
I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave

So please back away and let me go

I can't, my darling, I love you so

Tell me am I right to think
That there could be nothing better
Than making you my bride
And slowly growing old together

Don't you feed me lines
About some idealistic future
Your heart won't heal right
If you keep tearing out the sutures

I admit that I have made mistakes
And I swear I'll never wrong you again

You've got allure, I can't deny
But you've had your chance so say goodbye
Say goodbye



Lyrics submitted by rjbucs28, edited by JustGr8

Track duration: 03:47


Nothing Better song meanings
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269 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:"Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures," is one of the wisest lyrics in a breakup song I've ever heard. I've been that guy, and this song has helped remind me to let a thing die.
    Flag GTonyon October 13, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:Last stanza lyric correction:

    You've got allure I can't deny
    But you've had your chance so say goodbye
    Say goodbye
    Flag JustGr8on September 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song, because it's so recognisable and simple. Also, I love Gibbard's voice. It's very nice and soothing. It's not perfect, but that makes all his songs sound more real. Nyah... just my two cents ^^
    Flag Mushionon March 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:for me the tells about a break up which is cute i've only known a few who tried doing it or done it
    Flag ike1347on October 13, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:it was bugging me that almost in everyone's interpretation they kept making her seem cold-hearted but it is not so! she doesn't want to leave to just leave, she is leaving for REASONS and it is so frustrating to her that he keeps guilt tripping her about the break up. They were both hurting in the relationship and she took initiative to end it because she knew he wouldn't do it! She wants to do the right thing for both of them. He simply refuses to see the problems they had and it's really frustrating to her emotionally/psychologically because sometimes he does bring doubt to her with all those "idealistic lines" he throws at her. He is fucking with her emotions/head on her intentions about wanting to break up! I say this from experience haha... and I went through EXACTLY what this song is about. The guy did/says everything that my ex would say to me when I tried to leave and it would really get to me emotionally/psychologically. Being blamed about a break up is not cool and him denying our problems in a way was like telling me it's all in my head and that I'm literally crazy for thinking we had issues. Ya'll don't even understand our point of view.... if anything the girl in this song KICKS ASS for being the bigger person and saving two lives and two hearts from getting into a deeper turmoil!

    Flag blueberryhearton September 13, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I hate to be "that guy", but to the person who couldn't figure out what sport had quarters AND a goalie: box lacrosse has 15-minute quarters, at least from my experience.
    Flag Spongetasticon June 30, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Love the song. Love the lyrics.

    "Will someone please call a surgeon
    Who can crack my ribs
    And repair this broken heart
    That you're deserting for better company?
    I can't accept that it's over
    I will block the door
    Like a goalie tending the net
    In the third quarter of a tied-game of rivalry
    So just say how to make it right
    And I swear I'll do my best to comply"

    He feels heart broke now that shes left him for someone else. He finds value in the relationship that he refuses to give up on. He thinks theres still a chance because its a "tied-game." He's willing to do anything to get her back.

    "Tell me am I right to think
    That there could be nothing better
    Than making you my bride
    And slowly growing old together?"

    I think to safe to say he thinks he loves her and that they are meant to be together... soulmate.

    (my favorite part)
    "I feel I must interject here
    You're getting carried away
    Feeling sorry for youself
    With these revisions and gaps in history
    So let me help you remember
    I've made charts and graphs
    That should finally make it clear
    I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave
    So please back away and let me go"

    (Like every story, there are two sides to the story and normally one side is always very skewed) She interrupts to remind him how much he has decontexutalized the situation. He's only fixated on the happy parts but she reminds him, with evidence "charts and graph"(very logical and scientific), to clear up the situation.

    This is why I love the song. We always get one side of the story and normally its from the sappy-heart broken fool that had no idea how unidealistic the relationship really was. He tries to justify the relationship with his feelings and love whereas she refers to exact examples and quantitative situations to remind him how the relationship was never ideal.

    "I can't, my darling, I love you so"

    (Some we operate in a society where love trumps all experiences and events)

    "Don't you feed me lines
    About some idealistic future
    Your heart won't heal right
    If you keep tearing out the sutures"

    Essentially, shes gotten over these false dreams hes feed her for a long time now. Shes done with the whole relationship (not necessarily him) and honestly tells him he needs to move on because he wont be able to do so running after her. Its a wound that hurts him but it needs to heal and his constant backtracking will only hurt him.

    "I admit that I have made mistakes
    And I swear I'll never wrong you again
    You've got a lure I can't deny
    But you've had your chance so say goodbye
    Say goodbye"

    He makes promises alluring to the fact that hes hurt her or possibly given her a reason to no longer trust him. She admits they have a connection, something that attracts her to him but shes moving on. Hurt her once, his fault. Hurt her twice, its her fault.
    Flag encoreon March 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song...the background music reminds me of an old school Nintendo game...like Zelda or something
    Flag suff22000on December 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song its so sad and beautiful.
    Flag Random1212on November 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I feel like I can relate to the lyrics completely.

    "Will someone please call a surgeon
    Who can crack my ribs
    And repair this broken heart
    That you're deserting for better company?"

    - Perhaps he wants someone else (another girl) whom can help mend his heart back together. The same heart that the girl he has fallen for broke and left for another guy.

    "I can't accept that it's over
    I will block the door
    Like a goalie tending the net
    In the third quarter of a tied-game of rivalry"

    - He doesn't want to believe or come to the realization that the two are done. He simply cannot fantom that their love is no more. He wants to keep it alive no matter how. The door could possibly be a metaphor for the door to his heart. He won't let her leave. He wants to hold tight fore he feels there is hope yet. The goalie thing is just to paint the picture of him guarding the door. But in that case, the net would be his heart and the ball could possibly be another. Maybe he just can't accept any other girl.

    "So just say how to make it right
    And I swear I'll do my best to comply"

    - He wants to know how to fix their relationship. So he's asking her what she wants so that they can keep going. He's willing to listen to her and follow what she says to be hers. He's swearing to assure her he means it. Although it seems like she does not believe him.

    "Tell me am I right to think
    That there could be nothing better
    Than making you my bride
    And slowly growing old together?"

    - He's asking if it seems crazy or right to make her his bride. Obviously, it says it in the fine print. He really loves her. He feels as if he can't live happily without her. Or at all. He wants to live the rest of his life with her. The love of his life.

    "I feel I must interject here
    You're getting carried away
    Feeling sorry for youself
    With these revisions and gaps in history
    So let me help you remember
    I've made charts and graphs
    That should finally make it clear
    I've prepared a lecture on why I have to leave"

    - Her interjecting is her stopping him asking about if it seems right to live together forever and telling him how she feels on the subject. Or it's that meaning to me. She's telling him that he's thinking too much and just blaming himself because he feels like it's all really his fault. Who knows, maybe it is. Or maybe it was a little mutual. Revisions and gaps in history makes me think that he has revised it to fit what he wants and left out some parts (the gaps). maybe? the charts and graphs is to make it very clear about why she left and her reasons.

    "So please back away and let me go

    I can't, my darling, I love you so"

    - she wants him to go away so she can live her life as she wants. Essentially. However, he on the other hand, just can let her go at any cost. His love for her is just way too strong. He simply cannot just say goodbye and move on.

    "Don't you feed me lines
    About some idealistic future
    Your heart won't heal right
    If you keep tearing out the sutures"

    - She doesn't want him to feed her his clever and adorable words to keep her with him. Such as talking about getting married. Even though he's most likely dead set on these ideas of a future, she's very sure she doesn't want the same from him. It seems like her heart is doing just fine. But she lets him know that if he keeps going on like this, his heart won't ever heal. Not the way it should.

    "I admit that I have made mistakes
    And I swear I'll never wrong you again"

    - this part lets me know that he made some mistakes. Maybe leading to this bitter ending of their relationship. But he is promising her that he won't make the same mistakes again. That he will never hurt her again.

    "You've got a lure I can't deny
    But you've had your chance so say goodbye
    Say goodbye"

    - She admits that he has something about him that attracts her to him. And to deny it would be lying. So she's just being honest. Even though she admits that there is something about him that she finds interesting and lures her to him, she seems to not want to give another chance. She wants him to say goodbye. She wants him to forget. Although he cannot. Such a paradox, isn't it?



    Well, this is what I got out of it. If it's what you got, great. If not, it's your opinion. It reminds me of a girl that kind of did the same thing to me. Even though I made no mistakes. The boy part fits me and the girl part fits her. Hearing it brings up a lot of memories.
    Flag jordonisawesomeon November 13, 2009   Link

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