Rent I Pay
Spoon Lyrics


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I've been losing sleep
Just nodding sleep
That I wish that I lowed

Hm, and I lost all my tapes
Of back masking piece
Just for asking peace
That I ought to be owed

And that's the rent I'm paying
Just like my brother would say it

Out amongst the stars and the stones
Every kinda fortune gets old
Every kinda line is gonna come back to me
Just as I go

But that's the rent I pay
Like my brother say it
That's the rent I pay
Rent I pay
Like my brother say it
That's the rent I pay

Ooh lala
Ooh lala
Ooh lala
Ooh lala
Ooh lala
Ooh lala
Ooh lala
Ooh lala

I've been losing sleep
And I'm nodding sleep
That I wish that I lowed

Hm, and I lost all my tapes
Of back masking piece
Just for asking peace
That I ought to be owed

And that's the rent I pay
Like my brother say it
That's the rent I pay

Ah, rent I pay
Like my brother say
That's the rent I pay

Everybody knows just where you've been going
Everybody knows the faces you've been showing




And if that's your answer no I ain't your dancer
And if that's your answer no I ain't your dancer

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rent I Pay" by Spoon are quite enigmatic and open to interpretation. In the first verse, the singer talks about losing sleep and wishing for something he's owed but hasn't received. He mentions back masking, which refers to the practice of inserting subliminal messages into music by reversing the sounds on the recording. This adds a layer of mystery to the lyrics and suggests that the singer is seeking some kind of hidden message or meaning in life.


The chorus repeats the phrase "that's the rent I pay" and refers to the singer's brother saying it. This could mean that the singer is speaking from his brother's perspective or repeating advice his brother has given him. The phrase could also suggest a sense of obligation or duty that the singer feels, as if he is paying a price for something he has done or for his mere existence.


The second verse repeats the first with slight variations, but the song takes a turn with the final lines: "Everybody knows just where you've been going / everybody knows the faces you've been showing / and if that's your answer no I ain't your dancer." These lines could be interpreted as the singer's refusal to conform to societal expectations or to be controlled by others. The mention of dancing suggests a metaphorical dance (or perhaps a literal one) that the singer feels he has been forced to engage in.


Overall, the lyrics of "Rent I Pay" are cryptic and suggestive, leaving much to interpretation. The song touches on themes of obligation, loss, seeking hidden meaning, and resisting conformity.


Line by Line Meaning

I've been losing sleep
I've been struggling to get proper rest


Just nodding sleep
I'm not really sleeping, just nodding off


That I wish that I lowed
I wish I understood what's causing my lack of sleep


Hm, and I lost all my tapes
Unfortunately, I lost all my old recordings


Of back masking piece
They were all recordings of back masking pieces


Just for asking peace
I just wanted some peace of mind


That I ought to be owed
I feel like I'm owed some sort of compensation


And that's the rent I'm paying
The price I'm paying for that loss is this ongoing struggle


Just like my brother would say it
It's similar to what my brother told me before


Out amongst the stars and the stones
In a vast and uncharted universe


Every kinda fortune gets old
Accumulated wealth loses its charm eventually


Every kinda line is gonna come back to me
Everything I say or do will have consequences


Just as I go
Throughout my journey in life


But that's the rent I pay
This is the cost I have to pay for my place in this world


Ooh lala
A vocal expression of delight or excitement


I ain't your dancer
I won't follow in your footsteps


Everybody knows just where you've been going
Everyone knows where you've been heading towards


Everybody knows the faces you've been showing
Everyone knows the persona you've been presenting


Ah, rent I pay
Yes, this is the cost I have to pay


Like my brother say
Just like my brother mentioned before


That's the rent I pay
This is the ongoing cost to keep living and functioning in society.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Britt Daniel

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Dreamstepper

I been losing sleep
Just nodding sleep
That I wish that I loath

Mmm and I lost all my tapes
Of back masking peace
Just for asking peace
That I ought to be owed

And that's the rent I'm paying
Just like my brother would say it

Out amongst the stars and the stones
Every kinda fortune gets old
Every kinda line is gonna come back to me
Just as I go

And that's the rent I pay
Like my brother say it
That's the rent I pay
Rent I pay
Like my brother say it
That's the rent I pay

I been losing sleep
And I'm nodding sleep
That I wish that I loath

Mmmm and I lost all my tapes
Of back masking peace
Just for asking peace
That I ought'a be owed

And that's the rent I pay
Like my brother say it
That's the rent I pay

Rent I pay
Like my brother say
That's the rent I pay

Everybody knows just where you been going
Everybody knows the faces you been showing
And if that's your answer, no I ain't your dancer
And if that's your answer, no I ain't your dancer



All comments from YouTube:

Derek Dumele

The world needs more music from Spoon :)

A J

Derek Dumele I bet you're happy

Adam

Best band in America. Just brilliant. On my sixth listen in a row. The stereo mix alone is ingenious. Good lord.

Graz Perrelli

Great band. And, it's obvious that Tim Heidecker's music is a joke. And, obviously it's actually you who didn't get that I was being totally sarcastic. So, who's dense? I see you're a Wilcox fan. I'be been given a credit on A Ghost Is Born for working with their drummer, Glenn Kotche, who is a friend.

Michael LaPlante

+Adam Stevenson I'd rank them 2nd to the Foo Fighters ... both bands played recently on the first day of the 2015 Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Foo Fighters were headlining the show that day and they were spectacular as usual. David Grohl best Britt Daniel on that day anyway. This is an awesome song though.

Wilo Polis

I mean Spoon is one of my favorite bands ever but what is this thread lmao

5 More Replies...

TONE

This band captures everything I love about music. It is what it is to you, and as a musician and listener, they are so much to me.

Justin Morris

Love spoon, sounds like they have smashed out of the park again. How aren't they one of the biggest bands in the world? Every album they have done has been awesome.

Commodore Yeti

The funny thing is that you wrote this 3 years ago.... I am still wondering.

MrSummerjamsam

I can't believe it's been four years...Spoon is my favorite band and I am beyond happy to hear some new tunes. How this band keeps flying under the radar is beyond me. Best american rock band hands down. Can't wait to hear more!

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