I've been thinking through the night
Everybody's so uptight
People hurt and that's their right
Cut 'em all loose, think I might

Stewin', hangin' out in town
And my head whirlin' around
Don't trust your mind, it'll let you down
Don't have a thing to go on

[Chorus:]
I don't know a thing to say to you [Repeat: x2]

There's a time and there's a place
It's not now, it's time to pace
Things I'd say but just can't face
All it means to say them

I could believe the things I feel
Then tomorrow get the same deal
Am I acting on something real?
Or am I blowing it again?

[Chorus: x2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dinosaur Jr.'s “Blowing It” convey a sense of uncertainty and introspection. The first stanza begins with the singer reflecting on his surroundings, which are full of uptight people, and he decides to cut them all loose. The second stanza sees him stewing, hanging out in town with his head whirling around. He warns not to trust your mind, as it might let you down. The chorus is a repetition of the line "I don't know a thing to say to you" which could be seen as a reflection of his state of mind at that moment, feeling uncertain and lost.

In the third stanza, the singer notes that there is a time and a place for everything, but now is the time to pace. There are things he would like to say, but he just can't face them, which could be a reference to internal struggles or conflicts with others. The final stanza explores the question of whether the things he feels are real or if he's simply blowing it again. This line ends the song on a note of uncertainty, suggesting that the singer is still grappling with his own thoughts and feelings.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been thinking through the night
I've been awake all night, overthinking everything.

Everybody's so uptight
Everyone is tense and anxious.

People hurt and that's their right
People have the right to feel hurt.

Cut 'em all loose, think I might
I might distance myself from everyone.

Stewin', hangin' out in town
I'm stuck in my thoughts, wandering around the city.

And my head whirlin' around
My mind is spinning with thoughts and ideas.

Don't trust your mind, it'll let you down
My thoughts and emotions can be unreliable and lead me astray.

Don't have a thing to go on
I don't have any clear direction or plan.

I don't know a thing to say to you
I am at a loss for words.

There's a time and there's a place
Timing is crucial.

It's not now, it's time to pace
This isn't the right moment, I need to slow down and be patient.

Things I'd say but just can't face
There are things I want to say, but I'm afraid to confront them.

All it means to say them
The consequences of speaking up are unclear.

I could believe the things I feel
My emotions feel genuine.

Then tomorrow get the same deal
But tomorrow, I might feel the same uncertainty.

Am I acting on something real?
I question if my feelings are grounded in reality.

Or am I blowing it again?
I wonder if I'm going to mess things up again.

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