And all the awkward ways
that you recoil
when I get close
And oh, the awful grin
that greets me when
I'm all alone

So down on hands and knees,
choking, gassing, dripping spit
I just can't make good
on any of these promises

Then he asked me,
"what does that mean?"
What's another word for desperate?
Repetition makes an impression
What's another word for desperate?
I won't be around here
for too very long

So tip the bottle back,
bubble foam, and watch it break
We can all be sure
something awful's coming this way

So take this medicine
and measure doses,
take your time
'cause they'll tear into you
They will, they will, they will, they will

Then he asked me,
"what does that mean?"
What's another word for desperate?
Repetition makes an impression
So what's another word for desperate?
I won't be around here
for too very long
I won't be around here
for too very long

And they'll tear into you
They will, they will, they will, they will

Take it apart and let it all go
Holdin' it back it's all just so...
Why did I care?
How did it go?
Wait for a while and I guess that
I won't be around here
for too very long
I won't be around here
for too very long



Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208

Track duration: 05:20


Another Word For Desperate song meanings
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61 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I believe the song is about being desperate for something, or someone. Following up John says "I wont be around here for too very long" which to me means that we are only here for a short time before we pass on, and that we should not be desperate, and should just let go.
    Flag allmyfavoritebandson May 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:John said this is about Adam from Taking Back Sunday.
    Adam was an alcoholic so this could be about how he is is pathetic but a small part of them still cares for him.
    Flag tbscutetbson May 22, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I love this song but i have no idea what they're talking about !
    Flag xoblackouton October 18, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I have a feeling John had written bits of this while he was still in TBS, and took them with him when he left 'We can all be sure/Something awful's coming this way'. If that's not about sitting around waiting for him and Adam to fall out, I don't know what is.
    Flag {x.nick.x}on April 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:****** Well in my opinion this song refers to a conversation between 2 friends, in the first part he is like thinking about his situation: about a problem he has (girl, money, what ever ... i like to think it's a problem with a girl so his heart is broke),

    so in the second part a friend comes and ask about it and he answer that he is desperate but for make the thing more dramatic he just says "whats another word for desperate" and when he says "I won't be around here for too very long" I don't think it has something to do with suicide it is just an exageration. again in order to make the thing more dramatic and show how bad is he like diying for love.

    so, in the next part the friend tries to console the other guy but just like most of us, he takes his friend to a bar or something like that to take one drink or two and forget all of the problems while his friend keeps crying and desperated. then when he says

    "So take this medicine
    and measure doses,
    take your time
    'cause they'll tear into you
    They will, they will, they will, they will"

    I think medicine refers to alcohol, is like the friend tells the guy to drink and forget all the pain but that he must take time and take it easy cuz "they'll tear into you" (the friend knows that the situation of the other guy isn't going to be easy, that the problems and all the feelings his friend is feeling aren't going to disappear in the next second so he has to take a deep breath and be strong) we can see this when the friend says "We can all be sure something awful's coming this way " too.

    and in the last part I think the friend is says to the other guy like " cry !!! yell !! say all the things you wanna say, cuz holding all those things back isn't good" so the other guy keeps crying and asking why all those things are happening.


    this was my interpretation of the song, I really like it and I hope some of you comment and tell me if you're agree .... oh please forgive me if there are some mistakes in my redaction, my english isn't perfect :P
    Flag Thelastbreathon January 16, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Too very long" actually is a valid phrase. It's just more common in older writing. I remember reading it in some book from the 1900's once. Anyway...

    Am I the only one who notices what a violent song this is? It's veiled, but there's a really visceral feel to it. Of course, that's a big part of why I love it.

    I actually think the whole song, aside from the first part, is a flashback. It actually sounds like the narrator dies during the first part of the song. It's pretty obvious that he's having trouble breathing.

    Anyway, for the main part of the song, it sounds like it's about the two characters fighting against something, but it's left to the imagination what exactly it is. And it sounds like the narrator got exposed to something during the time they were fighting and is dealing with some sort of infection or toxin. He's still trying to keep afloat, even though he now has to take some sort of medication to hopefully prolong his life. And from the sound of it, "prolonging" is all it can do, because it's obvious that he knows he's doomed. ("I won't be around here for too very long.") It sounds like his friend is telling him to keep taking his medicine and not to push himself too hard, because he needs to try and maintain the stamina to fight and survive.

    I think it snaps back to the present in the last part of the song. I think "why did I care? How did it go?" was what he was thinking to himself as he was dying, and it was about his life, like he dies with no feeling of hope whatsoever, and then realls asks himself what he thought of life. Then it goes in to repeating that "I won't be around..." line. I guess he's accepting what's happening to him.

    I dunno... The only way I could ever see this song was as some sort of dark, hopeless sci-fi epic. (Once again, that's why I like it!)
    Flag Atagamay41on March 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:obviously, a zing at Adam.

    The beginning is how Adam always like to be right and the center of attention. singling John out and then being all pretentious and grinning about it

    then, I'm pretty sure the next part is about Adams drinking problem. It also mentions how Adam was on a lot of pain killers. especially after he fell of the stage and messed up his hip.

    Then it goes into how Adam can't write and would always come to john for advice. "whats another word for desperate?" thats Adam asking john. also the line about repetition makes an impression. tell all your friends has a TON of repetition in it.

    The song also goes into how John left the band. Because he couldn't hold back any longer. Apparently he was sick of Adam and his antics.

    IMO The way the act you'd think they all dated each other. ha ha. it seams like they try to disguise their songs by making it sound like they're about girls but they are really about each other.

    The line that goes "and oh the awkward way you recoil when i get close" still has me baffled though.
    Flag brokensatelliteson May 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song gives me chills... idk y
    Flag ggggon May 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I absolutely love love love love love this song. It's heart-breakingly beautiful. It's obviously about Adam and John's 'relationship', as many people have pointed out already. But it reminds me of my own past situations. A friend being addicted to drugs and alchohol, and the other person just becoming so fed up with their bad decisions. This song makes me want to cry everytime I listen to it. It's epic.
    Flag Your_Hand_In_Mineon March 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i read through some of the other cmnts, adn im glad to see that im not the only one who thinks that john isnt an AMAZING lyricist. there arent many people that are AMAZING. hes good, but i dont think hes that great. But this song is infact amazing, and i like the idea of suicide. not in teh sense that i like suicide, but someone earlier posted something about ti relating to suicide, and it was a good post. so go read it =]
    Flag Jackeetbson February 02, 2007   Link

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