You look like a perfect fit
For a girl in need of a tourniquet

But can you - save me
Come on and - save me
If you could - save me
From the ranks of the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone

'Cause I can tell
You know what it's like
The long farewell
Of the hunger strike

But can you save me
Come on and save me
If you could save me
From the ranks of the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone

You struck me down like radium
Like Peter Pan or Superman

You will come to save me
C'mon and save me
If you could save me
From the ranks of the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone
'Cept the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone
But the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone

C'mon and save me
Why don't you save me
If you could save me
From the ranks of the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone

Except the freaks
Who suspect they could never love anyone
Except the freaks who could never love anyone



Lyrics submitted by shut

Track duration: 04:34

"Save Me" as written by Rob Hyman, Cyndi Lauper

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Save Me song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:Aimee is obviously speaking about wanting to be rescued from a violent narcissistic parent who hurt her to the degree that she has become a willing victim to a new violent narcissistic partner.

    As the victim of a narcissistic parent, Aimee can't feel love and fears for her own humanity. Unfortunately, Aimee's parent/lover cannot feel love. He is incapable of it.

    I feel for you Aimee. I belong to your tribe. I'm a survivor too.
    Flag rivera885on October 15, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:"Save Me" is a beautiful song.

    There is a new awareness about this next lover. He (or she?) could be just the one to help
    the singer recover and heal. The last one left a big wound and it still hurts like hell, like
    someone could die if the bleeding is not stopped. The process is now part of the focus, so that
    falling in love is part cynical, part unavoidable, and part romantic. So expressing the hope
    that she will be saved both from the sick-at-heart people, and from BECOMING ONE OF THEM, she
    asks to be saved. Like Peter Pan could swoop down and snatch her from the jaws of the crocodile,
    or Superman could carry her away. Both heroes are able to fly, but they are at the extreme opposite
    ends of what she has experienced in her love-life (perennial boys and macho-men).

    Whoever it is, they will come with only her in mind. This poking fun at the men is what makes me
    think that the singer could be looking for salvation in another woman. Thats one possible
    interpretation, in which case the "ranks of the freaks who suspect they could never love anyone"
    are men who have difficulty and discomfort with expressing their feelings and giving themselves
    wholly.

    But both men and women have been stuck in failed relationships before and so the singer's reference
    to the "long farewell of the hunger strike" speaks of the lack of affection before it ends. Some-
    times a couple will be holding it together for some reason even though the love is gone. Sometimes
    the sick-at-heart want to hurt their partner before the breakup. And in that case starving oneself
    of love is acceptable if it means they can deprive the other too. This could refer to a man who
    can live without the love easier than a woman can. Thus if you pick up that kind of habit, you too
    can become a "freak who suspects they can never love anyone." Its a scary thought.
    Flag txnuke1201on May 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Come on and save me
    If you could save me
    From the ranks of the freaks
    Who suspect they could never love anyone."

    Perfect.
    Flag missmeon May 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song hurts, from the first to last note.

    the way she sings "you will come" kills me every single time.
    Flag samadeeon July 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think its about being the sort of person who doesn't let yourself love anyone for fear of hurt or rejection, but at the same time desperately wanting someone to come and make you realise that thats stupid and love can happen even in what seems to be a mixed up sort of place.
    Flag this-is-how-it-goeson December 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't see how this song is related to drugs or alcohol in anyway. The message seems quiet clear... 'she' believes herself incapable of loving again, probably because she's been badly hurt in the past... that's why she needs a tourniquet; to stop bleeding.

    However, now she's met somebody who seems "the perfect fit" for her and she's asking "but can you save me?”, that is to say, ‘can you really make me change my mind about love?’ as right now she belongs to that rank of people who don’t believe in it.

    In Magnolia, where I first heard this song, I think ‘save me’ is particularly indicated to Claudia Wilson Gator (Melora Walters) story. She’s incapable of loving (‘cause of her father's actions in her childhood?) but then she meets the policeman (John Reilly) who seems such a perfect fit for her. Despite all, she’s afraid of loving or afraid she’ll never be able to love someone, that's why she is so reluctant with him. Oh well, that's my interpretation anyway.

    BTW, great song
    Flag Cristiano Repupillion March 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've always thought that this song was about using alcohol (or possibly some other mind-altering substance) as a crutch to try to gain social status. Simply the line, "save me, from the ranks of the freaks." Is what made me think this the most, but also the lines, "You left me dumb, like radium" and "You look like the perfect fit." I don't think the tourniquette is really a reference to anything, except for the fact that it is something that is used to help people in trouble, and it is also a cool word that rhymes with "fit". But anyways, I think that she is afraid that she is going to be ranked in with the freaks, so she uses alcohol to save her .
    Flag Foo Ruleson March 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is one of the best songs ever written. It clearly has some self-pity, but if she can't love anyone, then of course she feels sorry.. the character in this song still has a heart. I believe this song was written for the character "Claudia" in Magnolia, who can't save herself from destruction and can't make connections with anyone else. She wanders through a life of lonliness.

    I listened to this song a lot in Colorado. When you feel like a freak it's hard to love anyone.. you don't want to be vulnerable. Yet, the voice in this song is vulnerable and sensitive. She wants a final chance at redemption, to jump back into life: "Save Me."

    On first listen this song really freaked me out. But if you give it multiple listens, you will draw a lot from it. The bridge is beautiful, and the chorus makes me cry.
    Flag cloudgirlon January 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love mellow songs like these. i came across this song by chance and am glad that i did.

    basically its been summed up before, the world is stricken of love and aimee is sick of it and needs someone to save her from these emotionless people.
    Flag ginamlon September 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree that the word "tourniquette" is related to cutting off circulation. I feel it means that the person gets too caught up in the world and their worries, overanalysing everything. They need to stop feeling for a while in order to actually see their life for what it is and stand any chance of sorting out their problems.

    I actually think she could be talking about herself in the song. She wants someone else to save her and fix everything thats wrong with her. She imagines someone stepping into her life and sorting everything out but in reality wonders "Why don't you save me?" and knows deep down that the only person who can really save her is herself but doesn't see how.
    Flag Thowkyon May 24, 2005   Link

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