I'm bored of cheap and cheerful
I want expensive sadness
Hospital bills, parole
Open doors to madness

I want you to be crazy 'coz you're borin' baby when you're straight
I want you to be crazy 'coz you're stupid baby when you're sane

I'm sick of social graces
Show your sharp-tipped teeth
Lose your cool in public
Dig that illegal meat
'Coz love is just a dialogue
You can't survive on ice-cream
You got the same needs as a dog
It's alright (it's alright) to be mean (to be mean)



Lyrics submitted by ThrowMyHeartUp

Track duration: 05:56


Cheap and Cheerful song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • 0
    My Opinion:I heard this song in NHL 09 I believe and never really listened to it till now after playing again. Absolutely think it is a drug reference... right off the bat first lines stating "cheap and cheerful" seems how we act when sober for awhile. "expensive sadness" yeah well all bad habits are expensive ways that leave us sad. "hospital bills", "parole", more bad things people experience with those habits. But the song takes that positive beat and says "it's alright". Listened to a couple songs and saw similar references by this band before posting, awesome song.. still learning about the band!
    Flag apcfan22on November 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the dude saying that its saying that we're all animals at heart with animal instincts...i think you're reading too much into it.

    i think that line is just a lash out at kiss asses saying that you need signs of affection in the same way as a dog. you need to be controlled and yoy have to kiss ass
    Flag theraljsmon November 07, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I don't think this song is about drugs. or maybe it is but it also has a double meaning...

    i think its about people that go through life trying to be nice to everyone.

    The singer is expressing her hate for suck ups
    'i'm sick of social graces,
    show yor sharp tipped teeth'

    i think that its trying to tell somebody taht they can't go through life kissing ass and being sweet to people when it isnt called for 'you can't survive on ice-cream'.

    Being nice to everyone and hoping they will be nice back:
    'you got the same needs as a dog'



    Anyone agree? i wanna know other peoples opinions


    The kills kick ass btw, but alison mosshart if far better in the dead weather
    Flag theraljsmon November 07, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion:This song is just about going crazy, finding edge, living life. Its vague enough for it to mean a lot of things.

    There's a genius remix of this by Sinden in the We Make it Good series. I highly recommend you check it out
    Flag disgustipated77on May 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:KONK22, I'm guessing that those two lines go with the "you've got the same needs as a dog" afterwards.

    "Coz love is just a dialogue" I think is saying that part of love is that you're agreeing to be with someone else for both of you to benefit from it, it's kind of about both getting pleasure from each other. You could interpret it pretty cynically as love is just about using the other person to make you happy, which would explain the "it's alright to be mean".

    "You can't survive on ice-cream" means you can't expect to be fully content with life if you try and find substitutes for things we need to be happy like relationships/sex etc (in the same way people gorge on ice-cream or whatever after a break up thinking it'll make them happy).

    "You got the same needs as a dog" is that ultimately, we're just animals with the same instincts and urges as other animals. No matter how much we try to deny or ignore it, if we want a fulfilling life sometimes we have to act on our instincts (in this case, we all crave sex or the rush of pleasure drugs can give sometimes)
    Flag symphoniefantastiqueon May 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:For some reason I'm really fascinated by the line,

    "Love is just a dialogue.
    You can't survive on ice cream."

    I'm having trouble coming up with meaning though...any ideas?
    Flag KONK22on January 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"I want expensive sadness
    Hospital bills, parole"

    She wants expensive sadness which includes hospital bills and parole. Both are expensive and both are not the happy inducing moments in one's life which then would "Open doors to madness."
    Flag meepiton January 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:she's talking about craving insanity therefore drugs
    'Hospital bills, parole' - things that will lead to madness ('open doors to madness')
    'sick of social grace' - bored of being sociable acceptable
    'show your sharp-tipped teeth' -scream and shout
    'lose your cool in public' -being undignified in public
    Probably due to drugs ('illegal meat'?)

    This song is about being crazy for entertainments sake
    because it boring to be sane!
    and because its more fun to be crazy on drugs than it is to be clean and sane
    i know which one I'd prefer ;)
    Flag PurpleHayes.on October 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:'Expensive sadness' may refer to the high cost of drugs/alcohol which initially give you a high but are depressants.
    Flag ellenelleon October 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Uh most def. drugs.

    I want you to be crazy 'coz you're borin' baby when you're straight
    I want you to be crazy 'coz you're stupid baby when you're sane- like fer serious

    I'm sick of social graces
    Show your sharp-tipped teeth
    Lose your cool in public
    Dig that illegal meat

    Social graces- loose your cool in publics. ILLEGAL MEAT!!! What else could it be??
    Flag Nikki_Sevvenon October 03, 2008   Link

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