Meet you dowstairs in the bar and hurt,
Your rolled up sleeves in your skull t-shirt,
You say 'What did you do with him today?',
And sniffed me out like I was Tanqueray,
'Cause you're my fella my guy,
Hand me your Stella and fly,
By the time I'm out the door,
You tear men down like Roger Moore,

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good,

Upstairs in bed with my ex boy,
He's in a place but I can't get joy,
Thinking on you in the final throes,
This is when my buzzer goes,
Run out to meet you, chips and pitta,
You say 'were we married?',
'cause you're not bitter,
'There'll be none of him no more',
I cried for you on the kitchen floor,

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good,

Sweet reunion Jamaica and Spain,
We're like how we were again,
I'm in the tub, you on the seat,
Lick your lips as I soap my feet,
Then you notice likkle carpet burn,
My stomach drop and my guts churn,
You shrug and it's the worst,
Who truly stuck the knife in first

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good,

I cheated myself,
Like I knew I would,
I told you I was trouble,
You know that I'm no good.



Lyrics submitted by Nyra, edited by deddles9

Track duration: 04:17


You Know I'm No Good song meanings
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87 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:@miranders -- she's saying "likkle" carpet burns because she's suddenly shy and embarrassed about him seeing the carpet burns on her knees. It's less patois, more babytalk.
    Flag akbardelpon October 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:What a smart spin on such a commonly-used lyrical topic! You'd expect most songs about confessions of infidelity to lead to a break-up and the cheater begging for forgiveness... but Amy takes it in a different direction! She feels regret and anguish over the fact that she was untrue to her man, but what hurts her even more is that he doesn't really care or doesn't seem hurt or surprised. Hence why she says "I cheated myself" rather than "I cheated (on) YOU"... she's the only one who's suffering the consequences of her misdeeds, because she truly loves him and doesn't want to cheat, but can't help repeating her bad habits.

    I do think the line is "Who truly stuck the knife in first?" (or maybe "YOU truly stuck the knife in first"), as if she's making a bleak attempt to defend her actions by saying "Yeah, I cheated, but maybe I wouldn't if you showed me that you care more often", because he's clearly not possessive of her or concerned about what she's doing when he's not around. Even though she realizes that she's responsible for her wrong-doing, she can't help but feel resentful of the fact that he knew she had a tendency to stray and did nothing to stop it ("I told you I was trouble..."). He's very nonchalant about it, and even brushes it off with a joke (as described in the first verse and later on when he says "Were we married?" to dismiss her apology).

    I'm not so sure about the line "Then you notice likkle carpet burns"... I know that 'likkle' is patois for 'little', but it just seems random and out of context here (except for the fact that she mentions Jamaica in the same verse, but that's a bit of a stretch). I always thought she was just saying "Then you notice the c-carpet burns", like she's just stuttering the beginning of the word for stylistic emphasis. But I can't confirm that, since the official lyrics (according to Amy) don't seem to be published anywhere online. I'm gonna have to check the liner notes!

    Anyway, great song! I'm glad that this song was almost as big a hit off of Back to Black as Rehab was, since most people don't have a chance to realize her amazing lyrical songwriting abilities just from listening to Rehab.
    Flag miranderson October 08, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:You Know I'm No Good... Well.
    This song is Amy's best song, including Frank and Lioness: Hidden Treasures.
    This song is really worked lirically. Not her best lyrics, like He Can Only Hold Her or October Song, but surely the ones that tells her story the best.
    "I'm No Good" is the thoughts that Amy has of herself. THis line shows it clearly:
    "Run out to meet your Chips and Peter
    You say when we're married 'cause you're not bitter
    There'll be none of him no more
    I cried for you on the kitchen floor"
    And it's also really poetic.
    "Sweet Reunion, Jamaica and Spain
    We're like how we were again
    I'm in the tub, you're on the seat
    Lick your lips as I soak my feet"
    Truly a masterpiece
    Flag ligeirinhoon September 06, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Difficult to believe she's actuallly no longer with us. Another talented musican gone due to excess and dependence. Very sad. As for the song, it's good. Not sure if A.W. wrote all or some of her own music, but many of her songs are quite good. This one sounds like a pat on the back to oneself for behaving poorly. It doesn't sound like a genuine "I'm sorry I let you, but mostly myself down"; rather, it sounds like a long-winded excuse....like, I don't trust myself to be strong and better, so I'll toss in the towel and make the most of my behavior. It's easier to mess up and apologize than it is to gather up the courage to change. It's a cowardly song, but it's excellent. RIP Amy.
    Flag IllToast2Thaton May 11, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:The song is pretty simple...

    He calls her up to meet her for a drink and confronts her about her being out with the other guy earlier in the day.
    She tries to put it off as nothing and hes not falling for it and breaks it off.

    She goes back to her ex but during sex she thinks of the last moments she had with the 1st guy and how much she hurt him and she cant stand it.

    She calls him up and meets him for lunch and all is forgiven but if they are getting married there will be no more of this. She agrees stating how shes been tortured over it (crying on the kitchen floor)


    Now they are taking a trip together and relaxing in the bathroom when he notices shes back to her same old same old. She feels really bad about it but just cant help it.



    She doesnt know why she does it...
    She knows its bad
    She cant stop
    Flag SarahFairon March 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I love the line "who truly stuck the knife in first". Meaning "Who really messed up first?"

    Also, "He's in a place, but I can't get joy" to me means the guy is giving her head ("a place"), but she can't enjoy it 'cause she's thinking of someone else.
    Flag mndcon March 21, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I really dislike this song. It is a song that one plays to excuse him/herself from his actions. Once is a mistake. Twice or more is a choice. The song is like a self-pat on the back excusing his/her actions. (i.e. you should have known...type of thinking/logic.) Thankfully, I am in no position to have to worry about someone cheating; that's the up side of being single and available.
    Flag justanothergurlon March 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:what does she mean by "u tear me down like Roger Moore" & "run out to meet your chips & pitta " ???
    Flagged ava1on January 14, 2012   Link
  • -1
    Lyric Correction:Sorry I messed up before...

    Meet you dowstairs in the bar and hurt,
    Your rolled up sleeves in your skull t-shirt,
    You say 'What did you do with him today?',
    And sniffed me out like I was Tanqueray,
    'Cause you're my fella my guy,
    Hand me your Stella and fly,
    By the time I'm out the door,
    You tear men down like Roger Moore,

    I cheated myself,
    Like I knew I would,
    I told you I was trouble,
    You know that I'm no good,

    Upstairs in bed with my ex boy,
    He's in the place but I can't get joy,
    Thinking on you in the final throes,
    This is when my buzzer goes,
    Run out to meet you, chips and pitta,
    You say 'were we married?',
    'cause you're not bitter,
    'There'll be none of him no more',
    I cried for you on the kitchen floor,

    I cheated myself,
    Like I knew I would,
    I told you I was trouble,
    You know that I'm no good,

    Sweet reunion Jamaica and Spain,
    We are like how we were again,
    I'm in the tub, you on the seat,
    Lick your lips as I soap my feet,
    Then you notice likkle(little) carpet burn,
    My stomach drop, yeah, and my guts churn,
    You shrug and it's the worst,
    To truly stuck(don't know why its not stick)
    the knife in far (rrr trails off)

    I cheated myself,
    Like I knew I would,
    I told you I was trouble,
    You know that I'm no good,

    I cheated myself,
    Like I knew I would,
    I told you I was trouble,
    You know that I'm no good.

    Kyomara got the first verse correct.
    I agree with crabbygrrl's interpretation of the second verse, except I think she is cheating on him at that moment as well.
    I think Kyomara got the last verse right as well.
    I really believe it is "To truly stuck the knife in far" where she trails off at the end. She already feels guilty and mad at herself, and then the fact that her boyfriend is not angry, not surprised, or even emotionless is sticking the metaphorical knife in far.
    Flag pjgoeseron January 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"sweet reunion Jamaica and Spain"

    I'm simply wondering if she means the sweet combination of those two places that she seems to like or Reunion Island in the Indian ocean. I'd be amazed if she knew such a remote place.

    thanks for Answering
    Flag Lanimalouon January 05, 2011   Link

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