Chain me free
Lose the key, right now

She was from my home town,
I'd never met her
Ditched her boyfriends,
'cause I was better
She showed me pictures in her car...
Pictures of the Beach Boys
and Kelly Slater
Bounced from the party
'cause the girls all hate her
She said she wants to see the stars

She's had some fast times
First times always last times
Out in the foxglove, I'm in...

Chain me free
or let if fall
We can be all, we can be all, I said
What's in your head?
Lose the key
or please don't call
We can be all, we can be all, I said
She kissed me dead.

She calls me during Loveline
and gets the machine
She wants to see me
but not to be seen
As if she's got some mystery
Missed her for a few weeks
before I called her
Still didn't get it,
so this is how I stalled her:
Even though you're seventeen,
I've got to tell you,
you're too old for me

She's had some fast times
First times always last times
Out in the foxglove, was that?...

Chain me free
or let if fall
We can be all, we can be all, I said
What's in your head?
Lose the key
or please don't call
We can be all, we can be all, I said
She kissed me dead.

You're all drugged out and delirious
Don't close your eyes - are you hearing this?
I'm about to say something
that I swore I'd never say
I gotta' get it out before I get away
I gotta' get away before I get it out
I gotta' get away before I get it out
I gotta' get away before I get it out, yeah

Chain me free
Lose the key



Lyrics submitted by nikki04

Track duration: 03:15


Chain Me Free song meanings
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31 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:SLBStevie is right about the 'your too old for me' bit. He's talking about experience or possibly maturity.
    Flag RABicleon March 18, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:ahh this song is so obviously about a girl with way too many aspirations
    shes a little bit different and kinda insane but shes not a groupie and she might be a druggo but thats not the point

    the pictures she shows him are of the stars she one days wants to be like and maybe date
    shes too serious about becoming famous that she scares everyone away
    she wants most of all not to be forgotten which is why shes being all mysterious when she calls

    shes too old for him because shes so focussed in her life already that shes not acting like a 17-year-old
    he feels so pressured by her aspirations, the way shes aiming for the sky
    theres so much room for the future that he just wants to be a teenager with no choices
    thus 'chain me free'

    and blue chicken maybe you should have another look
    you cant always break everything down line for line
    Flag lyricsaremydrugson February 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think the line 17 but too old he's just kinda using it as an excuse. in my opinion he doesn't have a decent excuse not to be with her so he uses that

    i would say that's why he puts that line after he says "still didn't get it so this is how i stalled her"
    Flag chyeawhateverron July 01, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, this song has always been about a girl who is kind of a groupie, or maybe just a slut, but she always ditches her famous boyfriends or just her average boyfriends to hang with this guy, however, she's never had a lasting relationship, always flings and that kind of thing, but he feels chained to her, like a friend who's in love with another friend and watches her date guy after guy. He wants to be out of this "chain"ed relationship, and to love other people rather than waiting for her so he starts to avoid her, but she doesn't get why he's doing that. I think the line about her being 17 but too old for him is just his way of saying "too experienced" because he wants a real relationship with someone, not just a fling.
    Flag SLBStevieon May 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:still love this song.
    a lot.

    she kissed me dead is the best line of like, any song.
    Flag nat leehunni4667on May 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:actually...
    love line is played pretty much everywhere... it's syndicated so people everywhere can here it... in reality it's recorded in LA... so, it's not a bay area reference... just saying.
    Flag PoLoDuCk05on April 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i heard this song playing subway restaurant about a month ago. it pissed me off for some reason.
    love the matches!
    Flag AMTILTSTHEMATCHESon March 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love the bay area references, being form oakland myself i understand them. wooohooo "she calls me during Loveline, gets the machine"
    Flag isobellllon July 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:ACTUALLY people

    shawn told me this song is along the lines of the movie "almost famous" he didn'd know that he had written a song that was exactly like almost famous until someone pointed it out.


    so watch the movie and there you go!
    Flag stevealon May 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:ok obviously none of you have ever written anything for english. Does the term Oxymoron mean anything to you guys? Chain Me Free is ironically saying two different things. My all-time favorite bands use this often. Oxymoron = Little Giants, thinly overweight, etc.

    Now here's my breakdown of the song:

    Chain me free
    Lose the key, right now
    (Let me go and dont lock me up in this relationship again)

    She was from my home town,
    I'd never met her
    (he never knew her before he got famous so she was most likely younger than him)

    Ditched her boyfriends,
    'cause I was better
    (he's a star so he's obviously better)

    She showed me pictures in her car...
    Pictures of the Beach Boys
    and Kelly Slater
    (The other stars she's slept with possibly)

    Bounced from the party
    'cause the girls all hate her
    (she's probably known as a slut or they're jealous because this girl gets to sleep with so many famous people)

    She said she wants to see the stars
    (stars = celebs)

    She's had some fast times
    (fast = easy = slutty)
    First times always last times
    Out in the foxglove, I'm in...

    Chain me free
    or let if fall
    (let me go or just drop the subject)
    We can be all, we can be all, I said
    What's in your head?
    (we can be the stars of the entertainment industry. what do you think?)

    Lose the key
    or please don't call
    (dont try to pull me back into the relationship or if you feel the need just dont call me at all)

    We can be all, we can be all, I said
    She kissed me dead.
    (When she kissed me, she took me prisoner in her obsession)

    She calls me during Loveline
    and gets the machine
    (obvious-she calls and he doesnt pick up because he's avoiding her)
    She wants to see me
    but not to be seen
    As if she's got some mystery
    (she doesnt want someone she knows to know she's been fooling around with him)
    Missed her for a few weeks
    before I called her
    (he went into a dry spell and called her when he wanted to get laid)
    Still didn't get it,
    so this is how I stalled her:
    (she didnt want just sex...she wanted a relationship)
    Even though you're seventeen,
    I've got to tell you,
    you're too old for me
    (in order to catch her off gaurd and freak her out, he told her she's too old for him, even though she's 17)

    You're all drugged out and delirious
    (she got high after he dumped her and thought they were a real couple)
    Don't close your eyes - are you hearing this?
    I'm about to say something
    that I swore I'd never say
    (he's gonna tell her he cant sleep with her anymore or else he might end up stuck in her trap-he probably swore he'd never turn down sex)
    I gotta' get it out before I get away
    I gotta' get away before I get it out
    I gotta' get away before I get it out
    I gotta' get away before I get it out, yeah
    (he's gotta get out/away from her before she ends up trapping him)

    Chain me free
    Lose the key




    But that's just my observations. Shawn is an amazing person and I saw him last week here in atlanta and i got to hug him and touch his butt/thigh/chest/back/and hold his hand for a little bit. Envy me if you must. :)
    Flag bluchickenlvr04on February 18, 2007   Link

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