Wilco – Hate It Here

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I try to stay busy
I do the dishes, I mow the lawn
I try to keep myself occupied
Even though I know you're not coming home

I try to keep the house nice and neat
I make my bed, I change the sheets
I even learned how to use a washing machine
Keeping things clean doesn't change anything

What am I gonna do when I run out of shirts to fold?
What am I gonna do when I run out of lawn to mow?
What am I gonna do if you never come home?
Tell me, oh, what am I gonna do?

Oh, I hate it
I hate it here
When you're gone

I caught myself thinking
I caught myself thinking once again
I have to try to keep my mind out of this
Try not to pretend

I'll check the phone
I'll check the mail
I'll check the phone again
I call you're mom
She says you're not there
And I should take care

Oh, I hate it here
When you're gone
I hate it
I hate it here
When you're gone

I try to stay busy
I take out the trash, I sweep the floor
Try to keep myself occupied
'Cause I know you don't live here anymore

Send "Hate It Here" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by fishmasta

Track duration: 04:31

"Hate It Here" as written by Glenn Kotche Mikael Jorgensen

Lyrics © BUG MUSIC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Hate It Here song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I can't iron a shirt but a couple of years of volunteering with the merchandise committee of a local roller derby league has taught me how to fold shirts... then came the hoodies. I can't fold a hoodie!
    Flag elwyn5150on November 04, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Goofy... on the SBS DVD... Jeff says he wrote this song for his Grandpa. It deals with the passing of his Grandma.
    Flag littlegreenman1on November 07, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:well I take the sad love song view and not the drug au revoir theory. love the line of him calling her mom, and mom saying what she has to, but giving her own sad farewell in saying take care.
    the way he sings it just makes it ridiculously cool.
    Flag guyskyon August 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this is a "love song" - not necessarily written out of personal experience. When I'm writing songs, sometimes thoughts and words and ideas just come out of nowhere, and you pursue them, and you end up with a song that's great, but not at all what you had intended to write, or thought you had intended to write.

    So I'm glad to hear that Jeff can't even fold a shirt. Nonetheless, it's a great love song that tells a story, follows a path, and who says you have to write songs about yourself?

    Love the scenic world's quote!
    Flag FishesWillLaughon April 24, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:i don't think he likes it there.
    Flag the scenic worldon November 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Keeping things clean doesn't change anything"
    I can definitely relate to this line.
    Flag citybellson October 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"What am I gonna do when I run out of shirts to fold?
    What am I gonna do when I run out of lawn to mow?
    What am I gonna do if you never come home?"
    Pure poetry.
    Flag annazoffon July 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i like the kickin drugs theory--i don't know if that was jeff's intention, but the lyrics are certainly fitting. one of the oddest notions when you're quitting is that you will never, under no circumstance, do it again. sure, it's easy to fathom a month or two clean, but to see a whole clean life ahead of you--to know that the drugs won't be there to live with you anymore--it can be overwhelming. and certainly hate-able.
    Flag beads29on May 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I know it totally sounds as if he's singing about a woman, but the first time I heard this song I thought of kicking drugs. He just came out of re-hab and quit smoking so I thought it was plausible. LIke he's saying I'm trying to keep myself busy by doing all these chores, but you're still on my mind. It's hard to quit. Anybody else get that impression?
    Flag voltafan101on May 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love the way jeff sings the "what am i going to do..." part.
    Flag NewLibertineon April 27, 2007   Link

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