All Time Low – Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)

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I've fought it for a long time now
While drowning in a river of denial
I washed up, fixed up, picked up
All my broken things

Cause you left me, police tape, chalk line
Tequila shots in the dark scene of the crime
Suburban living with a feeling that I'm giving up
Everything for you

Oh, oh, oh, how was I supposed to know
That you were o- o-over me? I think that I should go
(Go!)
Something's telling me to leave, but I won't
Cause I'm damned if I do ya, damned if I don't

It took a lot to take you home
One stupid call and I end up alone
Your made up, dressed up, messed up
Plans I set in stone

But you made me do it
And I don't like dancing in the alley
With a street rat night life
Can't keep living with a feeling that I'm giving up
Everything for you

Oh, oh, oh, how was I supposed to know
That you were o- o-over me? I think that I should go
(Go!)
Something's telling me to leave, but I won't
Cause I'm damned if I do ya, damned if I don't

Make a fool of myself when you hang around
When you're gone, I'm a match that's burning out
Could've been, should've done what I said I was going to
(Said that I would do)
But I never promised you
(But I never promised you)
(Promised you, promised you, promised you, promised you)

Oh, oh, oh, how was I supposed to know
That you were o- o-over me? I think that I should go
(Go!)
It never took a fool to see the things that I won't
Cause I'm damned if I do ya, damned if I do ya

Oh, oh, oh, how was I supposed to know
(Cause you left me police scenes, chalk line)
That you were o- o-over me? I think that I should go
(Tequila shots in the dark scene of the crime)
Something's telling me to leave but I won't
Cause I'm damned if I do ya, damned if I d-d-d
Damned if I do ya, damned if I don't

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Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes

Track duration: 03:07

"Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)" as written by Butch Walker, Alex Gaskarth

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

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Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't) song meanings
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64 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:I think the meaning of this song is relatively simple.
    Basically, there's a girl that he wants to be with because he really likes her but maybe he know's a relationship won't work out with her.
    Maybe she's screwed him over, "cause you left me police tape chalk line.." and he knows he shouldn't be with her anymore but he can't help himself.
    There seems to be a sort of "dark" theme behind this song, which could symbolize secrets.
    Flag pipadeeon July 27, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of my thoughts is that he's singing about another guy... That's why it's "forbidden" (damned if I do ya) and (I've fought it for a long time, while drowning in a river of denial). Don't hate on me if I'm totally wrong, it's just a thought.
    Flag ASongInMyHearton October 08, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:i absolutely love all time low and this song is good, so are most of their others
    so far i havent found a song from them that i dont like
    and i love the fact that they have almost no slow songs.
    you got to admit that fast songs are so much more fun to listen to and most of the time easier to dance to! :D

    my friend hates all time low cause she thinks they write songs only about one night stands and that their music sux but i think that she is
    damn wrong!!!!!! :D
    Flag hypersaraon April 26, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is about his affair with his teacher in high school, just as Coffee Shop Soundtrack is. Coffee Shop is about the secret meetings you have with the person you're not supposed to be seeing.
    If you watch the video clip for Damned if I Do Ya (Damned if I Don't), you'll see that the plot to the film clip is exactly that.
    Flag maddi264on August 28, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is about how a girl had feelings for a guy, and they weren't reciprocated. And then somewhere along the line the guy did develop feelings for her, but didn't do anything about it because maybe he was scared of what would happen, and by the time he did get round to actually doing something about the situation and asked her out, it was too late and she was over him and didn't know.


    "I've fought it for a long time now,
    While drowning in a river of denial.
    I washed up, fixed up, picked up,
    All my broken things."

    He has realised he has feelings for her, despite fighting them and denying them. So he decides to set himself straight and sort himself out.

    And then the chorus is obvious: he didn't think she would ever be over him. He thought she would wait for him forever. Why do guys think girls will do that?

    Kinda sums up a situation that I'm in. But I've stopped waiting and he's too late. I'd wait for Alex though. He is HOT STUFF and an absolute sweetheart <3
    Flag paperprincesson August 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:I think that the song is about the same girl "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" is about. After I saw the video I thought about that song. I think it's about wanting to sleep with someone so bad that he's "damned" if he doesn't because of how badly he wants to but if he does he's "damned" because, and I know it's in the video so it isn't too hard to think of, it's a teacher. It makes me think that the girl in Coffee Shop Soundtrack is his teacher :)
    Flag emmabubxon May 14, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song is about a secret relationship. (as the MV suggests) But also in the line "You made me do, when I dont like dancing in the alley with the street rat nightlife" Obviously the girl doesn't want anyone to know whats going on, but he likes her so everything they do is in private. Prehaps in this relationship he put more into it and made her a priority when he was just an option "Suburban feeling that I'm giving up, everything for you"

    Maybe now, the girl has just given up on their relationship but since it was nothing serious [to her] she didn't really care about him "How was I supposed to know that you were over me" and now he has to move on with his life after coming to this realisation. "I think I should go" and "I've fought it for a long time now While drowning in a river of denial I washed up, fixed up, picked up All my broken things"



    This song is amazing. It's like they hit the nail right on the head with this one.

    Flag xSusannahon May 04, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:On the contrary, I believe it's a spinoff of the Eleanor Roosevelt quote:

    "Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't."
    Flag Stolen_By_Musicon April 02, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:cuz yuu left me police tape chalk line
    tequila shots scene of the crime<3 i love alex
    Flag jenalisaon March 01, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:For all the people whining about their new sound there's a lyric in one of Jay-Z's songs that's goes "if you want my old music buy my old album" or something like that. Anyway I think that rings true for All Time Low too. If u don't like their new stuff then listen to their old stuff. Complaining will get you nowhere :-)
    Flag AllyNCon February 22, 2010   Link

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