Mogwai – I Know You Are But What Am I?

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Send "I Know You Are But What Am I?" Ringtone to Cell

(Instrumental)

Send "I Know You Are But What Am I?" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Inoue versus Date

Track duration: 05:17

"I Know You Are But What Am I?" as written by Francis Barry Burns

Lyrics © CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

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I Know You Are But What Am I? song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:demimondaine and drmn have very good views about the song. It is a very subjective song asking you to look inside for the answers or lyrics to express the feelings it portrays to you. Some comments noted on the absence of lyrical content but it expresses, in my opinion, a personal type of lyrical definition. It gives you a canvas instead of a picture. The title asks you to question yourself; imagine looking into a mirror and wondering what and who you are. If you can see past the physical definition of what you are or who your told you are, you can begin to question what your reality is, might it be seeing only lyric-less content or a full spectrum of possibility.
    Flag burkeon August 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i agree, this song always makes me think of wicker park. and yes, i never really knew that the song's title was a childish comeback (i don't remember using it as a child) and i always thought it was like "i know what you are"... "but am i?"

    this song makes me emotional. it's sad, i agree
    Flag two lovers divideon June 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song makes me think of everday struggles of life for some reason it's sad. Idk.
    Flag sibowittzon May 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:thanks to Top Gear, this song will always, in the words of Clarkson, remind me of "the joy of driving a great car on a great road" and flying down an empty highway in an AMG mercedes-benz at dawn, just me, the car, and the road.
    Flag snowbirdtownieon August 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is fantastic.
    I think this name bring out your doubts and complex.
    sadness and beauty, to me.
    remind fear, when you go to sleep wishing all this storm in head and in heart pass, but you afraid to wake up and realize that nothing change.
    Flag Narayanon March 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:there is so much dissonance in this song, when the notes are retracting back and forth.. but it's the good dissonance

    if you think about the dissonance and the title, then you'll understand a little better
    Flag nicexdreamon January 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Thank you Demimondaine, the whole idea that i know you ARE, as a sentient being but then questioning your own validity, had completely escaped me. Brilliant.
    Flag williewaggleron January 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Not only did that bring a new meaning to the song for me, but that brought a whole new meaning to that phrase for me. Demimondaine and and Drmn, thanks millions. I completely agree with you two.
    Flag tanjanon October 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with drmn.
    When I saw the title, I have to admit I thought of elementary school comebacks, but after I listened to the song I thought about it, and it made sense.
    I know you are - I know you exist; I know you're there; I know you're a person

    But what am I?

    Quite ingenious, actually.
    Flag demimondaineon June 23, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:When I listen to this track the sentence "but what am I?" just gets stuck inside my head.
    The concept of the song represents a complete new dimension when the atmosphere of the track is
    considered. By listening to the melody you can see that it has nothing to do with childish matters, it seems much more deeper. It represents to me the process of discovering yourself, even the perception of
    existence, perhaps...
    Flag drmnon May 30, 2007   Link

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