The White Stripes – Why Can't You Be Nicer To Me?

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somebody's screaming
looking at the ceiling
everything's so funny
i don't have any money
people don't even know me
but they know how to show me

why can't you be nicer to me?

my pride is dying
i think i'm all done lying
nobody's sharing
so i stop caring
all alone and walking
nobody's talking

why can't you be nicer to me?

well the wind is blowing
where am i going
off a bridge and falling
nobody's calling
on the ground and laying
nobody's praying

why can't you be nicer to me?

Send "Why Can't You Be Nicer To Me?" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by maidenhazer

Track duration: 03:22


Why Can't You Be Nicer To Me? song meanings
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24 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:He is depressed. "somebody's screaming looking at the ceiling" listen to what that means. someones praying, screaming at god. "why cant you be nicer to me?" who writes this shit you know. Jack White truely has a God-given gift with words
    Flag zachfombyon May 22, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:christ people, it's not about being nicer to your fellow man. "people don't even know me,
    but they know how to show me" isn't empathy; it's bitter and dejected. He's lonely and wants to die, and wants everyone to know he's unhappy. It's probably about a girl.
    Flag artsluton July 17, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Plus the way he emphasises, 'why can't you be nicer to ME'
    Flag VortexOfLanguageon April 24, 2011   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I don't think it's about suicide I think it's about people not caring about their fellow people, simple as that. And he just wants to see how far he has to go to get them to care (in a metaphoric, not literal, jumping off a bridge sense).
    Flag VortexOfLanguageon April 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Agreed about the LZ comparisons. I think this song is about a person who hits rock bottom and finds out how thoughtless and cruel others can really be.
    Flag almp5238on May 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:awesome song.
    Flag Jack_Smithon March 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:no shit
    Flag j.acobon January 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Sounds like a classic Led Zeppelin. LMAO
    Flag hailtokidamnesiacon November 30, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Recently, in my city, transients have been brutualized and killed. Many see these people as nothing more than eyesores. This song reminds me of how people just look away (looking at the ceiling)... they don't see these transients as being human anymore. Many mock (everything's so funny/... don't have any money) those who are homeless by saying, "Get a job!" (they know how to show me) without having any sensitivity to that individual's situation. Why can't we be nicer to them?
    Flag artbeaton October 29, 2006   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Yeh, if we were all nice to each another this guy wouldn't have jumped off the bridge would he?? It's a good question really - why can't everyone just be nice?!
    Flag acerolaon September 26, 2006   Link

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