Who Was in My Room Last Night
Butthole Surfers Lyrics
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The lights were on, my eyes were gone, and any second lose control
The pounding in my window or just the pounding in my head
I wonder who was in my room last night.
Who the hell was in my bed?
There must have been a body there
I swear I smelled some flesh
It took a little time but I figured they were mine
There were fingers going down my chest
My mouth went through the ceiling and my body fell to the floor
I couldn't find a key cause there was nothing I could see
And so I ran through the door
The cops, the priest, the crisis line, and no one really had a clue
No one to tell us who was touchin' me
Or exactly what I could do
My throat was dry my hopes were high
But nothing really ever got said
But who was in my room last night?
Who the hell was in my bed?
The lyrics to "Who Was In My Room Last Night?" by the Butthole Surfers are haunting and suggestive in equal measure. At the start of the song, the singer describes a feeling of intense physical discomfort, with their "body burned" and the "sheets were wet and cold". They seem to be disorientated and on edge, with their "eyes were gone" and they fear "any second lose control". The lyrics become more explicit as the song progresses, with the singer describing fingers going down their chest and their mouth going through the ceiling. It's heavily implied that they have been the victim of sexual assault, with the phrase "there must have been a body there, I swear I smelled some flesh" particularly chilling.
The ambiguity in the lyrics is perhaps the most striking aspect of the song. The singer is unable to identify who was in their room or in their bed, and the authorities they turn to for help (the cops, the priest, the crisis line) are similarly baffled. The song taps into our most primal fears around vulnerability, violation, and powerlessness. It's a bleak, unsettling, but undeniably powerful piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
All night long my body burned, the sheets were wet and cold
The singer had a very rough night that caused them to sweat profusely and feel a burning sensation. They were restless in bed.
The lights were on, my eyes were gone, and any second lose control
The singer was so agitated that they felt like they were losing their mind. Even with the lights on, they felt like they were in the dark and were about to have a breakdown.
The pounding in my window or just the pounding in my head
Either someone was physically assaulting the singer's window, or they were experiencing a headache so severe that it felt like someone was repeatedly hitting their head.
I wonder who was in my room last night
The singer is confused and curious about who was present in their room the previous night.
Who the hell was in my bed?
The singer is outraged and frustrated not knowing who was in their bed.
There must have been a body there
The singer believes that someone was lying next to them in bed.
I swear I smelled some flesh
The singer is convinced that they smelled someone's body odor or sweat on the bed sheets.
It took a little time but I figured they were mine
After some contemplation, the singer concluded that the fingers touching their chest belonged to them.
There were fingers going down my chest
Someone touched the singer's chest in a way that made them uncomfortable.
My mouth went through the ceiling and my body fell to the floor
The singer was so surprised that they felt like their jaw had dropped through the ceiling, and they collapsed to the floor.
I couldn't find a key cause there was nothing I could see
The singer was so disoriented that they couldn't even find a way out of their own room.
And so I ran through the door
The singer fled the room in a panic.
The cops, the priest, the crisis line, and no one really had a clue
Even after seeking help from the police, a priest, and a crisis line, the singer was still unable to make sense of what happened in their room.
No one to tell us who was touchin' me
No one was able to identify who was touching the singer inappropriately.
Or exactly what I could do
The singer was unsure of how to deal with the situation they were in.
My throat was dry my hopes were high
The singer was nervous and hopeful, but also scared.
But nothing really ever got said
Despite seeking help and being confused, the singer was never able to find out what happened.
But who was in my room last night?
The singer is still curious about who was in their room and what happened to them the previous night.
Who the hell was in my bed?
The singer is still outraged about not knowing who was in their bed the previous night.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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