It's the beauty of confession
In the sound when the levees break
And all the air is wrong, wrong
Redesigning a connection
A composition painted on my face
With a smile drawn on, on

Sit back and breathe
It's nice to know you work alone
My head is reeling
It's nice to know you work alone
It's nice to know you work alone

Disembody the move action
With water marks on a pillowcase
With all the nerves turned on, on
Overriding the obsession
To take it all and be on my way
Dragging the lead along, along

Sit back and breathe
It's nice to know you work alone
My head is reeling
It's nice to know you work alone
It's nice to know you work alone

But all the grace is gone, gone
And all the tired scorn is gone
And all the fire is gone, gone
But the reveal is gone, it's gone

Sit back and breathe
It's nice to know you work alone
My head is reeling
It's nice to know you work alone
It's nice to know you work alone

Reaching the serene
It's nice to know you work alone
My head's stopped reeling
It's nice to know you work alone
It's nice to know you work alone
It's nice to know you work alone
It's nice to know you work alone



Lyrics submitted by AllChokedUp

Track duration: 04:46


It's Nice to Know You Work Alone song meanings
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31 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is about a person finding a lack of allure in the other because the mysery of their personality has faded. The mystery was built up from being a loner, and the singer is saying in literal terms that its nice because that sort of aloofness is what was attractive.
    Flag bellyflooron September 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's a jewel that needs to reocognized more than it is its these are the kind of songs that need to be played
    on the radio insted of of "girl look at dat body". \
    Flag slicemankimboon March 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this is one pof the Kups most obvious lyrics. How do I say this an on an all-ages site....ummmmm!

    Guys you are all in bed alone!
    Flag WillGoldenon October 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about the girl you love confessing to engaging in prostitution.

    "It's nice to know you work alone" - a sarcastic consolation, in light of the crushing truth. Every cloud has a silver lining...
    Flag flayerhateron March 17, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:Like many people above I think this song is about a relationship that has come to a close. The narrator of the song was in a relationship where he/she felt very strongly towards his /her partner but never felt that same level of love in return (unrequited love). During the breakup, the former partner lets them know that they still want to be friends. I think that the word "work" in the recurring line and title of the song means work in the sense of operate or function. It's a sarcastic way of saying its nice to know that you can get along with your day to day activities w/o me.


    it's the beauty of confession
    in the sound when the levees break
    and all the air is wrong
    wrong
    [confession of not feeling the same way towards someone and the rush of emotions that]
    [follows as the levees break]

    redesigning the connection
    [changing from lovers to friendship]
    a composition painted on my face
    with a smile drawn on
    drawn on
    [trying to act like everything is cool and "be friends"]


    sit back and breathe
    [so i try to relax]
    it's nice to know you work alone
    [it's nice to know that you don't need me - sarcasm]
    my head is reeling
    [can't believe that this is happening]


    disembody the infection
    with water marks on the pillow case
    and all my nerves turned on
    [love has become an infection, get rid of it by crying and being irritable]

    overriding the obsession
    [realizing that maybe it wasnt love but it was an obsession]
    to take it all and be on my way
    [take all the benefits that were got out of the relationship and move on]
    dragging the lead along
    [like a dog that was on a lead/leash and followed their lover whereever they wanted]
    [and had unconditional love]


    but all the grace is gone
    ...
    but the reveal is gone
    [the relationship has come to a close, all the previous things that were there are gone]

    reaching the serene
    [finally come to the realization of what happened and are at peace with it bc there is]
    [a resolution]


    my hands stopped bleeding
    [i finally stopped working so hard to be with you and please you]
    Flag koffeeon January 12, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:So... let me get this right. According to the majority of people posting in this forum, nearly all of the songs on this album have either to do with the government/politics or relationships?? I'm a fan of SSPU for a number of reasons, one of which is their creativity, and while I don't entirely disagree with all of the interpretations of their lyrics, it is somewhat laughable that these are the only two categories that the interpretations fall into.

    With that said - cheers to sinical1 for breaking up the monotony and sharing a unique interpretation - there certainly is something of a post-coital thing going on when Brian says "Sit back and breathe, It's nice to know you work alone, My head is reeling". And then "With water marks on a pillowcase," - could this be from sweat rather than from tears?

    "With all the nerves turned on, on,
    Overriding the obsession,
    To take it all and be on my way,
    Dragging the lead along, along."

    Nerves revved up to max, as during sex, and the phrase "turned on" is a bit direct. "Dragging the lead along" conjures an image of a guy who feels that he is something of an animal (as in dog lead), used or using the other person, and then is on his way, but is happy to know that the other person doesn't need him to "reach the serene". Sounds a bit like the feeling of orgasm, and "my head's stopped reeling." sounds like release. It doesn't even need to be about a relationship - just good old fashioned sex.

    Now, it may not be the one and only interpretation, but it has the virtue of having nothing to do with governments or breakups...
    Flag Heliopolis13on October 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:most of the album to me is about relationships. i think the first song sets the theme for the whole album. and it flows right into The Royal We. It goes from being in a relationship (theres no secrets this year, the rotal we), to breaking up (it's nice to know you work alone, panic switch), then to moving on (substitution, catch and release). And the itunes bonus track is Currency Of Love, which pretty much closes the circle.
    Flag Kid_Phoboson August 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Im not really sure what this is about, I agree with many of your interpretations.. but its sounds like the person is singing it, is very hurt by everything that surrounds him.
    I think its ironic when it says "It's nice to know you work alone", cause its sounds lonely :P
    And I find funny how it says "Sit back and breathe" when before he said that "all the air is wrong". How can you breathe it if its wrong?
    Flag Laurizmon August 19, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Katrina? Really? Stretch much?

    It's about a man who is in love with a woman who doesn't want a relationship or doesn't want a relationship anymore.

    "Redesigning a connection"

    She still wants to be friends.

    "A composition painted on my face
    With a smile drawn on, on"

    He's maintaining composure, but on the inside his heart is breaking.

    "With water marks on a pillowcase"

    He (or possibly she)'s crying him (or her)self to sleep.

    "Overriding the obsession"

    He's trying to tell himself it wasn't love, it was an obsession.

    "To take it all and be on my way"

    He's gathering all of his stuff that was at her place.

    "Dragging the lead along, along"

    He feels like he has to drag himself to do it.

    And finally the repeating sentence:

    "It's nice to know you work alone"

    The fact that he repeats it through the whole song is him trying to convince himself of that it's a good thing.
    Flag hazmat16380on March 30, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Don't think anyone has put this theory out there yet but to me the lyrics seem to be talking about a relationship where the girl (because lead singer is a guy) has cheated on here boyfriend/husband.... hence the name "it's nice to know you work alone." working alone standing for committing the cheating act... Also significant in "water marks on a pillow case"... all the crying done after he found out. I also think they are trying to move past the cheating and continue with the relationship but it just is not working. Disembody the infection... Redesigning a connection... overriding the obsession. To me the guy just cant get past what has happened which leads to "all the grace is gone" etc... Finally at the end with the line "reaching the serene" I think it is saying he has finally decided it will not work and is going to or has moved on...
    Flag lpool03on March 27, 2010   Link

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