Taking Back Sunday: MakeDamnSure Meaning
Song Released: 2006
MakeDamnSure Lyrics
And I've got my veins all tangled close
To those jukebox bars you frequent
The safest place to hide
A long night spent with your most obvious weakness
You start shaking at the thought
You are...
-
1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:This may be long winded, but hear this out, it's going to be as thorough as possible.
Ok guys, well, I'm kinda surprised because I thought there would be more people who share the same opinion as me, and I guess not, but oh well, here's my two cents:
First of all, I don't think that it's as sexual or as..."demanding" as most of the opinions think, (demanding being a serious lack of vocabulary, I mean where the guy is kinda desperately in love with her but you know what I mean.) you know how when you're in love with someone, they're all that you really can see or care about, or kinda like you're high? I think that that's where "you've got this new head filled up with smoke" means, and by "new head" I think he means he just met her...Idk. I also think that the first verse sets the stage for the whole song when he says that her weakness is her being way better than he is, kinda like the antagonist in the plot if you will...It'll make sense, I promise.
In the pre-chorus, he says "we lay together, just not too close" is only on account of her, also backing up what adam just said in verse 1, but he would get as close as he could in the relationship (marriage?) if only she would let him. Also, in the background you hear the question "how close is close enough?" kinda like he's pushing the boundries to maybe sex. I think he means close as in the general relationship and the physical relationship.
As for the chrous, I think that he means that he understands that in the relationship, he's bringing her down, and they both know that he's the worst thing for her, and she could be spending time on more worthwile things, and he understands that, but he's asking her to stay with him in "I just wann bring you down so badly" and "in the worst way" would be with him.
In the second verse, he says "my inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit" which in my opinion, equals alcohol. I say this because isn't a hobby something you do on your own free time? So a hobby kit that you buy from a store that gives you hangovers is alcohol in my mind. Maybe he's an alcoholic in the story, idk. As for "you hollow out my hungry eyes" I think that it means that she's teasing him (not sexually, guys, lol) but by still staying with him, kinda like she feels sorry for him, and I think that that part is pretty important as they repeat it, and tbs doesn't repeat things because they're just bored or because it sounds cool, that's panic! At the disco. Now I don't have to repeat the pre-chorus and the chorus, and on to the interlude.
When he says "i'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave. No, you won't ever get too far from me, you won't ever get too far from me," I'm pretty sure that he means that he's going to do all he can to make himself a better person, just so she'll have a reason to stay with him, and I guess that would even mean giving up alcohol.
Well, anyways, that's just my two cents, and mine aren't any beter than your guys' opinions, and as for the alcohol thing, I never premeditated that and I just thought of that as I was writing this. If you've read all this, thanks for caring so much about this song. I love it, I swear, I've listened to this song 6+ I'm sure of it. It even says so in my itunes, lol, and that's not even including when I listen to my ipod, lol :) kk, thanks for hearing me out, if you want to contact me, go ahead, holla at me.
Seirdo@gmail.com -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:Well, I think that the song is about a couple that they like each other but they're kind of distanced. He loves her too much it seems like if he is obssesed with her but she is like not sure about the relationship and he may like hate her but love her... This is the type of relationship where he loves her more than how she loves him. So "I just want to break you down so badly, well I trip over everything you say"... She may not be so sure about the relationship
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3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:This is the effects of the after "relationship" time. He's been with a girl, had somewhat of a passionate relationship on the outside/physically, but she doesn't form the same inner feelings he does, basically causing him to become obsessed. She's got this "new head filled up with smoke" because she's recently become confused about their situation: he wants her to still want him, but instead she's moving on and has completely lost any old passion. Her most obvious weakness is her inability to commit, and it's most noticeable after they've had sex... After those "long nights:" she'll be done with him and he'll lie next to her, lovingly, and all she wants is what they've already had. They "lie together just not too close" in one way emphasizes that she's gotten her way with him, and she may be lying next to him in bed but her feelings and emotions are obviously not there. In another way, they physically lie together, but the whole "relationship" aspect is a lie, creating distance in his eyes between them. The background "just not too close" is her verbally letting him know she doesn't want what he wants. This is where his insanity starts coming out: thoughts of making her fall as badly in love with him as he was with her, or physically hurting her cross his head. He just wants to break her down: hear the truth.
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I think the guy is like deeply and hopelessly in love with the girl and the girl doesn't exactly realize this so she's just staying with him cus she thinks he just likes her. He's really confused at what he's supposed to do but he wants her so hes making sure she stays w him but he knows its bad for her. It makes him mad that he will never be good for her so he wants to bring her down to his level so she can feel like she needs him.
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ok so the poster who said that there was not a line in the song that said i bite my tongue i take my time and accused someone of not having the cd doesnt have one themself because im looking at the lyrics right now and they are scissor shaped across the bed you are red violent red you hollow out my hungry eyes i bite my tongue ... i take my time. so there you made yourself look dumb.
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I'm pretty sure this song has something to do with the relationship between Tyler and Marla Singer in the book "Fight club"... Head filled w/smoke. Hobbykit.. These words are literally from the story.
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Ok. Here's my wacky take on this song. A guy and a girl are friends. They are on spring break together. Someplace where she gets a sunburn. There is alcohol there. Thus his "store bought hangover hobby kit."
But wait! There is a new development. He has discovered that he has the hots for her. Really badly, really intensely, all at once. Her laying "scissor shaped across the bed you are red, violent red" has awakened feelings in him. Because, of course, due to the sunburn, she is naked. With her limbs in an "X." Because it hurts too much to put them together. Because it hurts too much to have a sheet on. And that's also why they have to "lay together, just not too close."
Now, to celebrate spring break, she was on the make. But, due to his realization, he's not gonna let her get too far away. From him. He's gonna make damn sure.... That she doesn't find anyone else. To help her lose her virginity.
And that's why he wants to "break her down." Break down the invisible barriers they haven't crossed yet due to their friendship. (And the fact that her bench-pressing, macho, deer-hunting dad trusted him to take her to Ft. Lauderdale on vacation!) And to break down other... erm,... Thin physical barriers... erm.... well, you get the idea.
Going back to the first stanza:
"You've got this new head filled up with smoke," - she's had her first duby. "I've got my veins all tangled close To the jukebox bars you frequent The safest place to hide," -he's remembering that back home her worst vice used to be drinking and listing to music, but he's trying to hide in that memory because her new goals are getting him all confused and wound up.
"A long night spent with your most obvious weakness You start shaking at the thought" means that she's been drinking and getting excited/scared about finding herself a MAN! (This is understood in light of his later panic about not letting her get too far from him.) "You are everything I want Because you are everything I'm not," is the AHA! moment that he slurs right into when he first sees her as more than a friend. Obviously, she is bold where he is not - he would be risking more to let her know where's HE's at.
I hope you all have enjoyed this lighthearted take on a really good song.... whatever it means! -
This song is about an affair. Now read the lyrics with that in mind.
-
OKAY GOING TO TRY MY BEST TO EXPLAIN WHAT I THINK ALMOST EACH LINE.
(You've got this new head filled up with smoke
And I've got my veins all tangled close)
HE MEANING THAT SHE IS CONFUSED ABOUT HOW SHE FEELS AND IT MAKES HIM FRUSTRATED.
(To those jukebox bars you frequent
{They're} the safest place to hide)
MEAN SHE GOES TO THE BAR TO HIDE AND GET AWAY FROM HER FEELINGS.
(A long night spent with your most obvious weakness
You start shaking at the thought you are everything I want
'Cause you are everything I'm not)
HE'S SAYING THAT HE IS HER WEAKNESS BECAUSE SHE NEVER FELT THESE FEELINGS BEFORE AND SHE GETS SCARED ABOUT GEETING SERIOUS EVEN THOUGH HE IS.
(And we lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)
SHE WANTS TO BE CLOSE BUT NOT THAT CLOSE
SO HE ASK HOW CLOSE HE CAN GET.
(I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say)
GUESSING HE WANTS TO BREAK HER WALL DOWN SO SHE CAN STOP BEING SO GUARDED.
(My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit, it talks
It says, "You, oh, you are so cool.")
ITS HARD FOR HIM TO SAY HOW HE FEELS ABOUT HER BECAUSE SHE SO COOL...IDK I'M TRYING
(It says, "The shade across the bed, you are red, violent red.")
I THINK SHE BLUSHES WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT HER.
(You hollow out my hungry eyes.
You hollow out my hungry eyes.)
HE DOESNT REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT ANOTHER GIRL.
(I'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave
No, you won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me)
IF SHE GIVES HIM A CHANCE AND LETS HER GUARD DOWN (I JUST WWANT TO BREAK YOU DOWN SO BADLY) HE WILL LOVE HER SO MUCH THAT SHE WILL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE OR FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH HIM)
SO I THINK THE SONG IS MORE EMOTIONALLY BASED. I TRIED. -
I think this song is definitely one of the most easy to interpret, in comparison to many of Adams other lyrics.
You've got this new head filled up with smoke
I've got my veins all tangled close
> I think he's saying that she's kind of confused with their relationship, leaning more towards being over it. Like instead of her just having a big head about the two of them and realizing how he feels, she's not quite sure. And his veins all tangled close like she has him feeling kind of nervous.
A long night spent with your most obvious weaknesses
You start shaking at the thought
You are everything I want
'Cause you are everything I'm not
> they had sex even though she's really not sure about them, she couldnt help her self and she sort of realizes what she did and that it is her weakness. Hes saying he wants her more because she doesn't want him.
And we lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)
We lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close
>theyre laying next to each other but she is not emotionally there or involved, she doesn't really want to be there and she's tricking him by being physically with him.
I just wanna break you down so badly
While I trip over everything you say
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way
> he wants to figure her out, and find out how she's really feeling but she's not showing any feeling. Hes tripping over everything she says as in over analyzing it and trying to figure out what exactly she means if she means anything.
My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit
it talks, it says, 'You, oh, you are so cool.'
Scissor-shaped across the bed
You are red, violent red
You hollow out my hungry eyes
> he's been drinking because he's feeling inadequate maybe. Hallowing out his hungry eyes, like he just wants to look at her and see her but she won't let him.
I'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave
No, you won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me
> he's desperate and trying to make her love him.
my thoughts, mostly everyone said a lot of the same things. -
You've got this new head filled up with smoke
(Girl has Dude goin' bananas for her)
I've got my veins all tangled close
(Dude won't stay away from girl - he is always around)
to the "jukebox-bars" (<--- one word) you frequent
(Girl goes to the clubs [aka jukebox-bars] frequently)
the safest place to hide
(Girl goes there to hide from Dude)
A long night spent with your most obvious weaknesses
(Girl spent a long night with Dude and thinking about the situation)
You start shaking at the thought
(Girl can't bare the thought of telling Dude that she wants out)
You are everything I want
(Girl is his dream-girl)
'Cause you are everything I'm not
(Girl is his exact opposite)
And we lay, we lay together
(they are together in a relationship)
just not too close
(their relationship is not as close as Dude would like because Girl doesn't like him)
How close is close enough ?
(Dude is confused but wants to marry Girl and keep her forever)
I just wanna break you down so badly
(Dude just wants to understand Girl's feelings)
While I trip over everything you say
(Dude is misinterpreting everything Girl says)
In the worst way
(this simply describes how bad Dude wants to know what Girl is feeling)
My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit
(this is BOOZE people - Inarticulate meaning "cant talk" + store bought + hangover + hobby kit = Beer, liquor etc... etc...)
it says, "You, oh, you are so cool."
(after getting drunk off the booze Dude just feels soo good about himself)
Scissor-shaped across the bed
(Girl is laying on the bed "spread out like open scissors")
You are red, violent red
(Girl is mean, because Girl does not want Dude touching her in the sack)
You hollow out my hungry eyes
(Dude wants Girl really bad, but she does not want him. Girl slam dunks Dudes passion to be with Girl)
I'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave
(Dude turns out to be a psycho who is obsessed with Girl)
No, you won't ever get too far from me
(Dude will continue to follow Girl everywhere)
---- Yes this song is about a drunk Chump who is obsessed with a girl who got a little too friendly with him. Now he can't bear the thought of letting her walk away ----- I do not necessarily see the guy as a Psycho Nut Job.... maybe just a poor Joe Schmoe like me who doesn't get too many shots with women. -
Ok, I think this song is basically about this guy who is in love with a girl, but she is a mess.
"To the jukebox bars you frequent
The safest place to hide" ... She drinks a lot
"My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit
In time, it says, 'You, oh, you are so cool.'
Scissor-shaped across the bed
You are red, violent red"
...Scissor shaped across the bed because she is passed out drunk her arms and legs spread out, and she is red because she was drinking.
So basically he loves her so much, and even though he hates that she drinks, he is going to try and help her and stick with her, he wants to protect her and save her. He wants to "break her down" and build her back up to be a better person.
He knows its going to be hard and tough on him to do this because she will say she doesn't want or need help. Hence the... "While I trip over everything you say" -
It's about an ex girlfriend who he is still in love with, but she doesn't feel the same anymore. "You've got this new head filled up with smoke" Means she's changed from the girl she used to be. "I just want to break you down so badly" He wants her to feel the pain he felt going through this. He's really angry at her and just wants her to get what he thinks she deserves.
-
You've got this new head filled up with smoke (He has tricked her into something, leaving her confused)
And I've got my veins all tangled close (He's gotten himself to far gone on his plan to turn back)
To those jukebox bars you frequent
{They're} the safest place to hide (This is where he has seen her for the first time and started to watch her there)
A long night spent with your most obvious weakness (Bar...drinking)
You start shaking at the thought you are everything I want
'Cause you are everything I'm not (She is realizing that he isn't what he said he was and now she is scared)
And we lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)
We lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (They never have laid close together except for in his mind)
I just wanna break you down so badly (He wants her to be broken down to always need him, kind of mental abuse)
Well I trip over everything you say (He is nervouse around her)
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way
My inarticulate store bought hangover hobby kit, it talks
It says, "You, oh, you are so cool." (She is his hobby kit, since she frequents the bar she is hungover, and she is telling him sarcastaclly that he is so cool for whatever he did)
Scissor shaped across the bed, you are red, violent red (He has her tied to the bed, he is angry that it has had to come to this and he is seeing red....so mad that he sees red)
You hollow out my hungry eyes
You hollow out my hungry eyes (He hates that he is seeing red)
And we lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (How close is close enough?)
We lay, we lay together just not
Too close, too close (Now that she is tied to the bed they are laying together.)
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way (He is going to keep her there and make her need him with whatever he has to do to make it happen)
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way (worst way)
{I bite my tongue. I take my time and}
I'm gonna make damn sure that you can't ever leave
No, you won't ever get too far from me (He has now done what he had to do to get her to stay, brainwashing or mentally broke her down to stay with him)
You won't ever get too far from me (He is never going to let her be without him....he will stalk her maybe?)
I'll make damn sure that you can't ever leave
No, you won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far from me
You won't ever get too far...
I just wanna break you down so badly
Well I trip over everything you say
I just wanna break you down so badly
In the worst way (worst way)
I'm gonna make damn sure
I just wanna break you down so badly
I just wanna break you down so badly (damn sure)
In the worst way (worst way)
Anyway this is my opinion on the song, that is what I thought the first time that I heard it and can't really get any other meaning out of it. -
OK well WE think that when it says "you're everything I want because you're everything I'm not" it means that he feel that she is out of his league and she's to good for him so he wants to break her down and get to know her so that they could be equal. Also it says "we lay together but not too close" we think this means that he wants to go further with her but not too fast so he won't ruin his chances with her.
-
The song is about a guy chasing a girl he is obsessed with her in a way "to those jukebox bars you frequent the safest place to hide" he is stalking her and she knows it when he says "a long night spent with your most obvious weakness you start shaking at the thought"
he is her most obvious weakness and not because she likes him but because she can't get rid of him
"As we lay we lay together just not too close too close"
he is making a picture to her of what they could be
"I just want to break you down so badly in the worst way"
he wants to get her to like him and he knows that she will not like him voluntarily -
I honestly believe that's it's about a guy who's shy in the ways of love. He wants a girl because maybe she's spontaneous and all that and...well...he's not. He may feel like he's messed up so much in his life and he loves her for being everything he couldn't keep a hold of. Another thing is that he may want her...but is afraid to talk to her in that manner. He's afraid but...he doesn't want anyone else to try and get her until he's at least TRIED to talk to her. It could also be seen from a female's p.o.v about a guy.
-
I think it's about him really liking a girl bu the relationship thing just isn't working out for them
"You've got this new head filled up with smoke" I think he's referring to her not him(shes confused or hard to read)
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