Cut off your nose to spite your friends
Breathing holes that will never end, oh
Speak all you want or just pretend
Because she thinks she is a different class
So she sits all day by the looking glass, oh
It doesn't talk, it doesn't last

But it's not what I've heard you know
A picture speaks a thousand words
But baby don't feel down
I left my heart in a provincial town, yeah

You sold your soul for magic beans
Don't believe all you read on computer screens
These things they mean nothing to me
Ripped and stains came off the track
You go there once and you don't come back, oh

Good that's what I say

But it's not what I've heard you know it
Cut your losses, shoot the poets
And one day you'll come down
To find yourself in a provincial town

But it's not what I've heard you know
A picture speaks a thousand words
But baby don't feel down
I left my heart in a provincial town, yeah

But it's not what I've heard you know it
Cut your losses, shoot the poets
And one day you'll come down
Oh, to find yourself in a provincial town



Lyrics submitted by MCurrie

Track duration: 03:27

"Shoot the Poets" as written by Ross Anthony Jarman Ryan James Jarman

Lyrics © CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Shoot the Poets song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:I am not quite sure but this is my stab at it.. I think this is about some girl he used to know thats becoming famous because of her beauty. But the girl is getting negative feed back from the press and hes just saying how she shouldn't listen to them because he never does and he is saying how after all this fame and shit is over he'll go back home and he thinks she will too.

    Cos you think she is a different class
    So she sits all day by the looking glass, oh
    It doesn't talk, it doesn't last
    -talent scout/some dude looking for models w/e (looking glass/mirror her reflection cant talk back and her beauty/fame wont last forever)


    But it's not what I've heard you know
    A picture speaks a thousand words
    But baby don't feel down
    I left my heart in the provincial town, yeah
    - It's not about the rumors or criticisms people say they just need to see for themselves and she shouldn't feel bad about any of it because he knows his happiness is back home same as hers

    But it's not what I've heard you know it
    Cut your losses, shoot the poets
    And one day you'll come down
    Oh, to find yourself in the provincial town.
    - It's not about what he's heard about her, she should stop playing the fame game, and go back home.
    I think cut your losses, shoot the poets refers to cutting of ties to people that speak ill of you.

    But to be completely honest I don't believe there is an intended, interpretable, message here. It's either just good music and words that fit a pretty melody or a song he made for himself. Well in any case this is the most sense I could make of it if there is any sense to be made.
    Flag Sombersoldieron July 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The only thing I get from this is that there's this girl who thinks her beauty should be publicized. Things are not working for her the way she had hoped and her friend is telling her that he wound up in a provincial town. Big deal. He's doing fine so she is losing her grip on reality. Perhaps the picture refers to the glamour world that she is infatuated with and that picture means many things. Maybe he's trying to tell her that glam may not be how she imagines it to be. She should cut her losses and shoot the poets who, if they're good, can make anything sound too good to be true? Idk
    Flag singlebarrel94on July 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Nicely said rice95. This song means nothing to me but if I'm enlightened to its meaning in the future perhaps I'll change my mind.
    Flag singlebarrel94on July 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:WOW, honestly could people stop with the comments which dwell on how much they the love song i believe this website is dedicated to "song meanings" not on "how much they want to fuc*k the song".
    Flag rice95on March 18, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song is nothing else but beautiful<3
    Flag JustKillTheHeroeson February 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm pretty new to the Cribs but damn this song just gets me. It's the odd one out sort of song, where a band does a song totally different to what they usually do and they have done it so well here.

    Amazing. F*cking Amazing
    Flag powderfinger999on November 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is beautiful. One of the best on the album.
    Flag cookiejaron October 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I fell in love with this song the moment i heard it, it shows a whole different side to them. And Ryans voice sounds amazing. well done guys.
    Flag CeCe_Babyon March 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song might just be my favorite on the album :)
    Flag ntabmwap05on September 27, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Bloody beautiful song, I've seen Ryan silence a whole venue of people with this song. Incredible.

    Slightly less incredible is the lyrics here.

    few lines stand out:

    because SHE thinks she is a different class

    I left my heart in a provincial town, yeah.

    Ripped and stained came off the track.

    All the same, top work from the Jarmans.
    Flag rebelliousjadeon June 12, 2007   Link

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