The band signed with Rise Records and released the studio albums Empire Theory (2009) and Dreamhouse (2010), and independently went on to release their third album Young and Courageous in 2014 and their fourth album Everything Nothing in 2018.
Not My Love
Tides of Man Lyrics
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You're so excited, How intense and heated you get,
They're laughing at you dazed as you are,
And you're making it so easy
Glazed over and cold,
I wish your smile could see me,
I want to be,
Someone I admire,
Not someone they require,
It's not my love,
Feed it to me,
I don't belong here,
You're not beautiful my dear,
It's not my love
Sure, you will tell me,
Pathetic little man,
You do it for yourself,
And sure, you repel me
Don't touch me with that hand you use to make wealth
They're laughing at you dazed as you are,
And you're making it so easy
Glazed over and cold,
I wish your smile could see me,
I want to be,
Someone I admire,
Not someone they require,
It's not my love,
Feed it to me,
I don't belong here,
You're not beautiful my dear,
It's not my love
And don't be surprised,
When you're fire has died,
And you can't seem to find a reason why,
Oh it hurts when you smile,
You're a parasite,
And your mouth has run dry,
There's nowhere to hide,
I want to be,
Someone I admire,
Not someone they require,
It's not my love,
Feed it to me,
I don't belong here,
You're not beautiful my dear,
It's not my love
The song Not My Love by Tides of Man is a poignant commentary on the pressure to conform and the desire to be true to oneself. The lyrics speak to the frustration of feeling like an outsider in a world that values conformity above all else. The opening lines set the tone for the song as the singer asserts that they will never be able to fit in, no matter how hard they try or how aggressively they are pressured to conform. The lines "You're so excited, how intense and heated you get" speak to the desperation of those who crave social acceptance and the lengths they will go to attain it.
Despite the pressure to conform, the singer refuses to give up their individuality. The line "I want to be someone I admire, not someone they require" is a powerful declaration of self-determination. Rather than being consumed by the need for social acceptance, the singer seeks to live a life that reflects their own values and beliefs. The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "It's not my love," reinforces this sentiment - the singer will not compromise their own sense of self for the sake of others.
The song is ultimately a call to be true to oneself and to resist the pressure to conform. It is a reminder that the pursuit of individuality and authenticity is a worthwhile one, even if it is a difficult and sometimes painful path to take.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never be you No matter how hard you spit
No matter how much you try to make me like you, it won't work because I am my own person.
You're so excited, How intense and heated you get
You are so passionate about what you believe in that it consumed you and makes you difficult to approach.
They're laughing at you dazed as you are,
People are mocking you even though you don't realize it.
And you're making it so easy
Your behavior makes it easy for others to make fun of you.
Glazed over and cold,
You appear to be distant and unemotional.
I wish your smile could see me,
I want you to acknowledge me and show some form of kindness or friendliness.
I want to be, Someone I admire,
I aspire to be someone who I respect and admire.
Not someone they require,
I don't want to just conform to what others want or expect of me.
It's not my love,
The feeling and passion you are expressing is not something that I share with you.
Feed it to me,
You can continue to share your feelings and emotions, but I am not going to reciprocate.
I don't belong here,
I feel like I am out of place and don't fit in with the environment or situation.
You're not beautiful my dear,
Your behavior and actions are not attractive or kind.
Sure, you will tell me, Pathetic little man,
You will insult and belittle me because you are frustrated with my lack of interest in you.
You do it for yourself, And sure, you repel me
Your passion and behavior is solely for your own benefit and it pushes me away.
Don't touch me with that hand you use to make wealth
I don't want to be associated with someone who prioritizes money over kindness and respect.
And don't be surprised, When you're fire has died, And you can't seem to find a reason why,
When your passion and intensity has burned out, you will struggle to understand why.
Oh it hurts when you smile, You're a parasite,
Your behavior and attitude causes harm and pain to others around you.
And your mouth has run dry, There's nowhere to hide,
You are left with nothing to say or do, and you can't escape your situation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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