Lyrics for Only Shallow as interpreted by BrownBabu84

Only Shallow Lyrics
Sleep
Like a pillow
Down(ward)
And
(Where)
She won't care
Anyway (where)

Soft
As a pillow
Touch her there
Where she won't dare
Somewhere
Sleep
Like a (royal)
(Subject)

Think
That you grew
Stronger there
Speak
Your troubles
She's not scared

Soft like there's silk
Everywhere
Sleep
(Is a) pillow
Come

Where she won't dare
Anyway (where)
(Look)
In the mirror
She's not there
Where she won't care
Somewhere
---
"Only Shallow" as written by Kevin/butcher Shields
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
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overdosed19
03-28-2003

 Rated  0 
bliss

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hirosheena
04-20-2003

 Rated  +1 
are songs supposed to be able to turn me on like this?

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slugsinthefields
05-03-2003

 Rated  0 
This album makes me feel like I'm falling in love... so ya, its ok to be turned on. I think you're supposed to just take the songs in as you see fit.

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pablohoney94704
03-17-2005

 Rated  0 
sooo sexy

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Xzenith
03-20-2005

 Rated  0 
Beautiful, exotic, surreal, orgasmic

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jawamachines
09-12-2005

 Rated  +1 
sounds to me like he's referring to a hollow relationship. like, the people are passionate about each other but don't truly love one another (in the mirror she's not there). i dunno. i mean the title IS "only shallow"

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jblondin
12-10-2005

 Rated  +5 
What you have to understand about MBV is that the lyrics themselves are not all that important. Why are there so many questions about what the Belinda is actually saying in this song? Because the vocal track was mixed low intentionally, as if it was just another instrument.

So how then can one interpret a song with barely audible lyrics?

Listen to the music.

With that said, to me this song is about sex. Not so much about it per se, but more like a musical representation of it. The softer, more structured rhythm that goes alongside Belinda's breathy vocals is about making love to someone you care about. The bendy, violent, wicked guitars we hear in the intro and connecting the verses is a representation of that rough, meaningless sex we sometimes have with someone we care less about. What kind of sex is that? Oh, it's only shallow...

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kankurou
01-17-2006

 Rated  0 
MBV's lyrics are just rightfuly placed wording that help structure their smorgasboard of wonderful noise... This song requires no thought as to what it "means". It's just audiophonic sex.

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Mr.Self_Destruct
03-05-2006

 Rated  0 
I think what he says after "royal subject" is "king".

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Schizima
04-18-2006

 Rated  +2 
It's about seducing someone in their sleep.

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IhavegoodTaste
06-25-2006

 Rated  0 
One of the most incredible songs in the entire world. I'm amazed that such great music like this manages to go by unnoticed by so many people these days.

Even I am surprised that I'm aware that this album exists. I was only about three years old when this came out.

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productofthe80s
07-27-2006

 Rated  0 
yeah, true true Ihavegodtaste. I went into my local music store the other week in search of 'Loveless' by MBV and the girl that worked there started complaining and accusing me of being an 'EMO' kid, and how 'all that stuff is so popular' these days.
Its sad to think people can be put off from a wonderful band like MBV purely because of their name... and then label it and its listeners EMO! Absurd.
My friends are in a band called 'Goat Bastard'..isnt that enough to make you want listen!?

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pumkinhed
08-29-2006

 Rated  0 
anyone else notice the similarity between this song and Rocket by the Smashing Pumpkins?

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rabashinko
10-09-2006

 Rated  0 
It's absolutely amazing the way it sounds like there are a hundred guitar players (especially during the verses). Also, I love how different things stick out when you have the volume at different levels. It's not just "musical artwork" it's "sonic artwork"...

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SoundgardeNirvana
02-26-2007

 Rated  0 
Agree with productofthe80s. The name My Bloody Valentine sounded like a gay new band to me until I realized how influential and awesome they were. This is easily one of the best songs ever written. It should be New York's official anthem as the composer Kevin Shields was born and raised in Queens.

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vulgar
05-27-2007

 Rated  +1 
this song makes me want to punch myself in the face for putting off listening to this band for so long

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pg99
05-27-2007

 Rated  0 
I thought it sounded like a Smashing Pumpkins song too, I just wasn't sure which one. This album came out two years before Siamese Dream did though.

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ripelivejam
06-17-2007

 Rated  +1 
One of the best openings to an album ever.

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Jeema
09-14-2007

 Rated  0 
pumkinhed to answer your question, yes I think Loveless may have been one of billy corgan's influences in making siamese dream. it's hard not to notice the similarities.

as for this song i don't really know what it means, but the way everything melds in it, with the vocals and the unusual chords and the guitar going ever so slightly out of tune is so surreal it's almost mind-altering. i guess maybe that's why they call music like this 'dreampop'...

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lastdinosaur
11-22-2007

 Rated  0 
"Only the shallow know themselves." - Oscar Wilde

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crombiegirl00
11-23-2007

 Rated  0 
Yep this group is stunning and I was in my early 20's when I got this cd.I saw them on MTv's 120 minutes...they kicked ass!! They are goth music to me..

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altf4
01-06-2008

 Rated  0 
i dont know what it is about this song. But it is either about sex or something terribly depressing.

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vedderman
05-21-2008

 Rated  +2 
while smoking copious amounts of pot, me and my friends decided that this is the music that angels make

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devin_42
09-08-2008

 Rated  +1 
This song is so surreal, and her voice is so great
It just makes me think about all the music that is popular right now and how terrible it is compared to this masterpiece.
It makes me wish all music was this beautiful and catchy!

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tasteherflesh
05-04-2009

 Rated  +1 
productofthe80s, I'm pretty sure she thought that because there's a metalcore/deathcore band called Bullet For My Valentine, which is absolutely terrible. I don't have much respect for metalcore or deathcore, but there definitely are some good bands that fall under that genre name; Bullet For My Valentine is not one of them.

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