This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Basically I'm complicated
I have a hard time taking the easy way
I wouldn't call it schizophrenia
But I'll be in these two here today
If that's ok
An I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
It's deep how you can be so shallow
An I'm afraid coz I have no fear
An I didn't believe in magic
Until I watched you disappear
I wish you were here
An I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
You see, everybody is somebody
But nobody wants to be themselves
Ooh
And if I ever wanted to ever understand me
I'd have to talk to someone else
Coz every little bit helps
An I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
It feels like
The surreal life
But it's still nice
Wish I could live twice
An I still might
If these wounds heal right
I see a lil' light
Even though it's still night
It feels like
The surreal life
But its still nice
Wish I live twice
An I still might
If these wounds heal right
I see a lil' light
Even though it's still night
And I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
And I can go on an on an on
But who cares?
I have a hard time taking the easy way
I wouldn't call it schizophrenia
But I'll be in these two here today
If that's ok
An I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
It's deep how you can be so shallow
An I'm afraid coz I have no fear
An I didn't believe in magic
Until I watched you disappear
I wish you were here
An I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
You see, everybody is somebody
But nobody wants to be themselves
Ooh
And if I ever wanted to ever understand me
I'd have to talk to someone else
Coz every little bit helps
An I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
It feels like
The surreal life
But it's still nice
Wish I could live twice
An I still might
If these wounds heal right
I see a lil' light
Even though it's still night
It feels like
The surreal life
But its still nice
Wish I live twice
An I still might
If these wounds heal right
I see a lil' light
Even though it's still night
And I could go on an on an on
But who cares?
And I can go on an on an on
But who cares?
Lyrics submitted by plexus, edited by ChipperSpiff
Who Cares? Lyrics as written by Thomas Decarlo Callaway Brian Burton
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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The lyrics in this song are absolutely incredible. At the end of the day, nobody is actually somebody.
This is conformity at its best.
Hmm... from my point of view, the song seems to be a simple eclectic mix of various topics, each segment truncated by a groovy "And I can go on and on and on... but who cares?"
As for individual sections... I'll take a tiny stab, though it'll be pretty broad. The first verse deals with... the issue of eccentricity. The second's just a message of missing someone who might not be the best choice as evidenced by the first line, i.e. the 'quality' of being shallow. The third is, in terms I just made up, a narration of cut-and-paste individuality and it seems like no one is exempt from the mixing of others'... essence, if you will. The fourth segment... man, I can't make heads or tails of that. Anybody else wanna take a crack at it? Or is it simple enough to understand, while I'm trying to expose meanings that aren't there? xP.
Code Azul
I see a lot of signs of someone in recovery(from addictions) in a few of Gnarls Barkley's songs. I interpret the fourth verse to be about having a second chance at living life. The other verses (particularly the 1st and 3rd) seem to relate to recovery as well, although I like your interpretations as well.
it seems like the ending verse relates to the burgeoning fame that Cee-lo is getting from his exposure in Gnarls Barkley. He has been around for a while, but hes starting to get a second wind at the music star, albeit in a different genre.
of course, I could be totally wrong, since how would he know that they would be a big hit?
it seems like the ending verse relates to the burgeoning fame that Cee-lo is getting from his exposure in Gnarls Barkley. He has been around for a while, but hes starting to get a second wind at the music star, albeit in a different genre.
of course, I could be totally wrong, since how would he know that they would be a big hit?
I am gonna have to say, that given the horribly generic lines, and that fact that he never expounds on a verse after the Who cares part, that this song is making fun of the generic watered down pop/rock/rap scene. Mainly the people who continuosly make money off of hit songs about their personal "struggles" when really no one cares they just like the way the music sounds...
God, I love Danger Mouse/s producing. And Cee-Lo/s voice. hahahaha They just go together so well.
This song is about finally running out of energy to think about someone/something not worth obsessing over. I could go on and on and on fixated on this one thing, but in the end, who cares?
I like your interpretation.
Mmm... Bamerella, I see what you mean by recovery. I believe others have pointed out the theme as well, so you're probably on to something.
"Its deep how you can be so shallow"
i really dig that line, its clever, and cool to boot