I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I drugged it in it's sleep
There isn't many memories I'm comfortable to keep
This ball keeps rolling on
It's heading for the street
Keep expecting you to send for me
The invitation never comes

Each time I turn around
There's nothing there at all
So tell me why I feel like
I'm up against a wall

But maybe it's a false alarm
And every answer sounds the same
Just colors bleeding into one that hasn't got a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

Another curtains coming up
The audience is still
I'm struggling to cater for
The space I'm meant to fill
And distance doesn't care
No distance doesn't care

Each time I turn around
There's nothing there at all
So tell me why I feel like
I'm up against a wall

But maybe it's a false alarm
And every answer sounds the same
Just colors bleeding into one that hasn't got a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I drugged it in it's sleep
Remember what you said.
Are you comfortable to keep it?
Keep it?



Lyrics submitted by Joekubrick

Track duration: 03:50

"False Alarm" as written by Katie Tunstall, Martin Terefe

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


False Alarm song meanings
Add your thoughts

14 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    Song Meaning:This is clearly about pregnancy/abortion ... The title alone has connotations of pregnancy, seeing as a missed period can often be a 'false alarm'. It seems to go a bit deeper, I think it implies that the potential father isn't interested.
    Flag runningon March 08, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think your abortion theory is lame. Also the depression thing.
    It's just not that literal.
    I think "False Alarm" is about when you fall in love with someone that doesnt really loves you back but keeps giving falses alarms and wrong messages. And also the narrator keeps seeing messagems inside his head to, misinterpreting.

    "And every answer sounds the same
    Just colours bleeding into one that hasn't got a name"

    because you only hear what you wanna hear.

    I dunno, maybe because i've been in this situation so I know the feeling so pretty much I could describe as "distance doesnt caring" and "space you meant to fill"

    anyway this is my favourite KT song of all, and I said that to her. haha
    Flag praychon July 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is about being in a hard time.

    "I'm trying to put this thing to bed
    I've drugged it in its sleep"
    She's trying to make sense of the situation, trying to get through the woods.

    "There isn't many memories
    I'm comfortable to keep"
    Most of her memories are ones she wish she didn't have.

    "This ball keeps rolling on
    It's heading for the streets"
    I think Shikonaori had this one right. The situation is dragging her in a dangerous direction.

    "Keep expecting you to send for me
    The invitation never comes"
    I'm not sure what this means. The pickle she's in could be related to her love life, like Shikonaori said. Anyone have an idea that isn't related to love?

    "Each time I turn around
    There's nothing there at all"
    She feels crowded and confused, but she can't figure out what's wrong.

    "So tell me why I feel like
    I'm up against a wall"
    She's between a rock and a hard place, possibly feeling pressured to make a decision and none of them seem like good choices.

    "But maybe it's a flase alarm
    And all the answers sound the same"
    Maybe she doesn't need to be so worried about it. Maybe if she takes a deep breath and takes a look at it from outside, she'll be fine.

    "Just colors bleeding into one
    That doesn't have a name"
    The choices are the colors, and if she just gives them time to bleed into each other and sort themselves out, creating a new color, which is the right choice.

    "Maybe I can't see
    Maybe it's just me"
    She realizes that she might just be psyching herself up over it and the answers right in front of her, but she's so frantic she wouldn't feel it even if it bit her on the ass.

    I hear...
    "Now the curtain's coming up
    The audience is still"
    She's being put on the hot seat and everyone's waiting for her to make her move.

    Again, I hear something a little different. An apostrophe and a letter different.
    "I'm struggling to cater for
    The space I'm meant to fill"
    She's having trouble doing the things she really needs to do in life.

    "And distance doesn't care
    No distance doesn't care"
    Maybe she means emotional/mental distance? Distance won't help you because distance doesn't care what you're going through. When she comes back from her book, or her movie, or her music the problem will still be there.

    "I'm trying to put this thing to bed
    I drugged it in its sleep
    Remember what you said
    Are you comfortable to keep it?
    Keep it?"
    I think someone made a promise to her that everything would be alright. Now that that the problem hasn't been solved yet are they sure they can keep the promise?
    Flag MiraForTheMasseson January 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The vocals in this song remind me of the song "The Winner Takes It All" by the band ABBA (I mean that in teh best way possible.)
    Flag Cam-winon January 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:isabella could be right on. I also see it as the end of any kind of relationship, and she constantly wants to believe things will get better again, but alas, it's a "false alarm".
    And 'putting it to bed' and 'drugging it in it's sleep' is just an allusion to wanting to forget about it.
    Flag filmguy707on September 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i read somewhere that she wrote this song about the ending of an important friendship. she kept waiting for her friend to call and get in touch again, but nothing...
    Flagged isabella35on May 27, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, this song is about depression. You "drug it" and try to get it to go away. and you don't want to remember a lot of things because it makes you depressed. Like the line
    "Each time I turn around
    There's nothing there at all
    So tell me why I feel like
    I'm up against a wall"

    Usually depression happens for no reason. Nothing's going on, but you still feel trapped.
    Flag drinkinginmydreamson February 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I really liked all the interpretations of this song. This is a great site. I'm new to it - but love hearing what everyone thinks. KT is gifted lyrically and if you're into lyrics - check out Amy Rigby - she's fun!!
    Flag thehighpriestesson February 05, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:also! music and it's presentation are really important. i really love the way the song just sounds "tired". it sounds like she's thought this thing over and over so much she's just tired. lovely song.
    Flag morphine883on September 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:shiko, your interpretation is really beautiful. i think K.T. is a great writer in that the analogies are beautiful and simple. You you don't have to think much to interpret the songs, so nothing gets lost in the interpretation. i think you've nailed this one.
    Flag morphine883on September 26, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain