Built to Spill – You Were Right

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Send "You Were Right" Ringtone to Cell

You were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright
You were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright

You were right when you said all that glitters isn't gold
You were right when you said all we are is dust in the wind
You were right when you said we're all just bricks in the wall
And when you said manic depression's a frustrated mess

You were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright
You were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright
You were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright

You were right when you said you can't always get what you want
You were right when you said it's a hard rain's gonna fall
You were right when you said were still running against the wind
Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone
You were right when you said this is the end

Do you ever think about it?
Do you ever think about it?
Do you ever think about it?
Do you ever think about it?

Send "You Were Right" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by swomprat, edited by bof

Track duration: 04:45

"You Were Right" as written by Doug Martsch

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


You Were Right song meanings
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47 Comments

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  • +1
    Link(s):Quotes from Classic Rock songs explained here:
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
    Flag RadioDetoxon July 06, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I can definitely see the break up angle in this one. He feels that the only truths they shared were common-knowledge type stuff, and he knew it couldn't work out. You were wrong when you said everything gonna be alright.

    the lyrics pulled for the verses make me think that the only advice she ever gave, the only things she thought, said, or did, not only weren't her own, but were useless to him.
    Flag TinyDancer1on October 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:The lyrics in here are well known lyrics to well known songs, so I doubt Built to Spill are showing off their musical knowledge or pointing to their influences. It strikes me more as the playlist of a teenager just beginning to discover classic rock. For me, it's a very nostalgic song. It takes me back to high school when I was listening to Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones and Hendrix and the Doors and feeling alienated and pessimistic and all those lovely teenage emotions. And that's what the song is about for me: feeling like a moody teenager. Looking back at the music you used to listen to and saying, "Yeah, those guys got it right. All that depressing shit is still true."

    I don't know if that's what's intended, but I think it's a great song regardless.
    Flag mishyshellyon July 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:He's addressing pop music in general: When I was young you seduced me with words of comfort and optimism, and since the music felt true, I believed the message, too. Now that I'm older, I realize the "hey man, don't worry, it's gonna be alright" message was a load of crap, and you were only speaking the truth when you said that we're all alone, happiness is fleeting, everything is in slow decline, there's no heaven, "life's a bitch and then you die," etc. It's the same kind of bitterness and disillusionment you hear in "Like a Rolling Stone" and lots of songs by Quasi and, more recently, Okkervil River.
    Flag barnesignobleon April 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:they quote Zeppelin, Kansas, Pink Floyd, possibly Bob Marley, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, The Doors

    so awesome!
    Flag jnicholas711on July 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm high and I'm thinking that Smashmouth also used the lyric "all that glitters is gold" in one of their super gay songs. I am also ashamed that I knew that.
    Flag dmbstanon July 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Do those of you who say its referencing Marley have supporting info from BTS? I always thought this referenced Revolution by the Beatles, which seems to be more in keeping with the high profile of the songs being referenced, but maybe I'm wrong. I always thought of it as referencing clever lyrics that had become cliches.
    Flag citymiceon September 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:like MM's "people as places as people" this to me expresses the disappointment and pain of when things don't work out the way we imagine them to. fucking love this song. been listening to it straight for days now- gotta love repeat!

    and much like def leppard's "rocket," this song holds a great perspective to the musical influence of bts.

    maybe it's the girl in me, but "you were wrong when you said everything's gonna be alright" is just a part of this song that you could just scream and cry and feel relief from it. listen to "liar" after this, and you might get what i mean. maybe not lol
    Flag musmodestuson September 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I'm pretty sure that "everything's gonna be alright" is a reference to the Velvet Underground. Lou Reed used the word "alright" in several songs.
    Flag nada2dadaon March 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:As a couple of people have astutely pointed out, the line "all that glitters isn't gold" doesn't appear in "Stairway to Heaven." The line there is "all that glitters is gold," and the line "all that glitters isn't gold" does appear in Neil Young's "Don't Be Denied."

    "All that glitters isn't gold
    I know you've heard that story told
    I'm a pauper in a naked disguise
    A millionaire through a business man's eyes"
    Flag panackon March 19, 2009   Link

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