The food that I'm eating is suddenly tasteless
I know I'm alone now
I know what it tastes like

So break me to small parts
Let go in small doses
But spare some for spare parts
There might be some good ones!

Like you might make a dollar
I'm inside your mouth now
Behind your tonsils
Peaking over your molars

You're talking to her now
You've eaten something minty
And you're making that face that I like
When you're going in for the kill kill
For the killer kiss kiss for the kiss kiss

I need your money
It'll help me
I need your car and I need your love
I need your money
It'll help me
I need your car and I need your love
So won't you help a brother out?
Won't you help a brother out?
Won't you help a brother out out out out out?

Just break me to small parts
Let go in small doses
But spare some for spare parts
You might make a dollar
You might make a dollar
So won't you help a brother out?
Won't you help a brother out out out out out?

Just break me to small parts
Let go in small doses
But spare some for spare parts
There might be some good ones

You might make a dollar


Lyrics submitted by anna118k

Ode to Divorce Lyrics as written by Regina Spektor

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Ode to Divorce song meanings
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52 Comments

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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    "I need your money, It'll help me. I need your car, and I need your love. -- Won't you help a brother out?" ^ She feels like a beggar here. Not that she's homeless. Yeah, we divide up our cars and our money when we get divorced, but as some commenters mention, the biggest gaping loss is knowing they don't love you anymore.

    I dunno, I almost feel like she's pointing to the futility of begging for love.

    "Just break me to small parts; let go in small doses" - let's take this separation thing slowly. Nevermind that you can't love ALL of me anymore -- there are parts of me you'd still find useful!

    I didn't feel this way so much in the divorce, but I did feel A LOT like this in my first post-divorce relationship -- and still feel that way sometimes as far as being a bit of a useful spare part for that guy. He doesn't want me, but he hangs onto bits and pieces of the relationship anyway while I futilely beg for his love, Aye, that's gotta stop.

    ironcatastropheon April 23, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is so amazing. First, am I the only one who interprets the line: When you're going in for the kill kill / For the kill-er-kiss kiss for the kiss kiss? Almost as if Regina is so spiteful towards her ex-husband's new relationship that she says 'kill' instead of 'kiss' and then catches herself, throwing an 'er' in there that also sounds like killer kiss... pure genius. I also love how she almost shouts the word 'out' like she wants her ex to get out of her head, and how desperate and mocking she sounds while singing 'and I need your love.' This probably makes no sense ;w; oh well, i tried :3

    respekt617on March 26, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i don't think so... but regina can always sing about fictional characters, that's what she does best.

    velvetsisteron April 12, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i might have missed it...but...no one has yet commented on the heartbeat that opens and closes this song.

    in the beginning it doesn't make sense. at the end, it's like...amazingly beautiful and so solitary and full of pain and sorrow..where as at the beginning no one really knows what it's leading into.

    that heartbeat at the end makes this song for me, personally. it hurts me more than any of the lyrics, though they are amazing too.

    regina spektor, marry me.

    Micropsiaon May 31, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    oh and listening to it with the volume up, the heartbeat is pumping throughout the whole song. i hadn't heard that before.

    i love things like this; that just get better and better every time you listen.

    Micropsiaon May 31, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    brilliantbrilliantbrilliant

    fromthehouseoflordson November 29, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    what an interesting point of view, from the back of an ex-lover's mouth... how amazing is this woman??!?

    indigoboyon February 09, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    is her ex now homeless?? "I need your money, it’ll help me I need your car and I need your love x2 So won’t you help a brother out? ... You might make a dollar Dollar, might make a dollar

    So won’t you help a brother out"

    the seattle buzzon March 09, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I assumed she was talking about all the legalities of getting a divorce, all the settlements of who gets the house, and who gets the money.. and playing off the guilt of the partner that's left her.

    burning_bridgeson May 19, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    seriously. we need to find something not wuite so brilliant by her.

    joemommaon June 27, 2005   Link

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