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TROUBLE
Cage the Elephant Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

We were at the table by the window with the view
Casting shadows, the sun was pushing through
Spoke a lot of words, I don't know if I spoke the truth

Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God, don't let me lose my mind

Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I've been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look, I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love and I did it for life
I didn't do it for you

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Will it come to pass, or will I pass the test?
You know what they say, yeah, the wicked get no rest
You can have my heart, any place, any time

Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God, don't let me lose my mind

Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I've been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look, I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love and I did it for life
I didn't do it for you

Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I've been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look, I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love and I did it for life
I didn't do it for you

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God, don't let me lose my mind

Overall Meaning

Cage the Elephant's "Trouble" is a song about feeling trapped and overwhelmed by life's difficulties. The singer begins by describing a scene of sitting at a table by a window and speaking a lot of words, unsure if he spoke the truth. This setting evokes feelings of vulnerability and loneliness. The singer then reflects on his past struggles, with trouble on his left and trouble on his right, facing challenges throughout his entire life. He pleads for his "sweet love" to pull him through, but ultimately declares that he did not face these struggles for her, but for himself.


The repetition of the phrase "Got so much to lose, Got so much to prove, God, don't let me lose my mind" encapsulates the anxiety and desperation the singer feels. He recognizes the high stakes at play and the pressure to succeed. The chorus of "Trouble on my left, trouble on my right" underscores the pervasive nature of difficulty in his life.


Overall, "Trouble" is a poignant and honest exploration of the struggles that come with navigating life's uncertainties. Through its raw and relatable lyrics, Cage the Elephant captures the complexities of the human experience.


Line by Line Meaning

We were at the table by the window with the view
The singer sets the scene - they were sat down and had a good view of the world outside.


Casting shadows, the sun was pushing through
The sunlight was strong enough to cast shadows inside where they were sat.


Spoke a lot of words, I don't know if I spoke the truth
The singer talked a lot, but they're unsure if what they said was honest.


Got so much to lose
The artist has a lot that they could lose or have taken away from them.


Got so much to prove
The artist feels like they need to prove something to themselves or others.


God, don't let me lose my mind
The singer is distressed and worried about themselves, and asks a higher power to keep them sane.


Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
The singer is beset on all sides by problems or obstacles.


I've been facing trouble almost all my life
The artist has a long history of facing challenges and difficult situations.


My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
The artist addresses a lover or significant other, asking them to help them through difficult times.


Everywhere I look, I catch a glimpse of you
The artist is reminded of their lover whenever they look around.


I said it was love and I did it for life
The singer has committed to love and to their partner for life.


I didn't do it for you
The artist clarifies their motivation for their previous statement - they weren't doing it for their partner, but for the commitment itself.


Will it come to pass, or will I pass the test?
The singer wonders if they will succeed or fail in their current situation or challenge.


You know what they say, yeah, the wicked get no rest
The singer alludes to a common saying about how bad people don't find peace or rest.


You can have my heart, any place, any time
The singer tells their lover that they are always available to them and willing to give their love.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brad Shultz, Daniel Tichenor, Daniel Quine Auerbach, Jared Champion, Matthew Shultz

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

R4gu Sauce

Lyrics


Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

We were at the table
By the window with the view
Casting shadows
The sun was pushing through
Spoke a lot of words
I don't know if I spoke the truth

Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God, don't let me lose my mind

Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love, and I did it for life
Did-did it for you

Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Will it come to pass, or will I pass the test?
You know what they say, yeah
The wicked get no rest
You can have my heart, any place, any time

Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God, don't let me lose my mind

Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look, I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love, and I did it for life
Did-did it for you

Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look, I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love, and I did it for life
Did-did it for you

Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh

Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God, don't let me lose my mind



Joseph Wu

oo-ooh
We were at the table by the window in the view
Casting shadows, the sun was pushing through
Spoke a lot of words, I don't know if I spoke the truth
Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God don't let me lose my mind
Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I've been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love and I did it for life
Did-did it for you
Ooo-ooh
We will come to pass, will I pass the test?
You know what they say, yeah
The wicked get no rest
You can have my heart, any place, any time
Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God don't let me lose my mind
Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I've been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love and I did it for life
Did-did it for you
Trouble on my left, trouble on my right
I've been facing trouble almost all my life
My sweet love, won't you pull me through?
Everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you
I said it was love and I did it for life
Did-did it for you
Ooo-ooh
Got so much to lose
Got so much to prove
God don't let me lose my mind



All comments from YouTube:

Emily W.

This song makes me cry every time I hear it. I'm a teenager, and my childhood best friend (also a teenager) overdosed on opioids a few years ago. I had just discovered this song around the time of his passing and it will forever remind me of him. The lyrics that hit hardest are "I've been facing trouble almost all my life" and "everywhere I look I catch a glimpse of you" ... I miss you Chippy

Philthy McDread

We all hate hormones and everyone has had a friend that died
For example I’m only twelve and my good friend died of cancer Boo hoo you can’t let it take you down you need to forget the past and embrace the future so don’t get sad because your friend died be happy because this song reminds you of her and keep moving

soggylamp

SPACE MAN um... I’m sorry your friend died but that doesn’t give you the right to undermine other people’s emotions. People process things differently and just because you can “forget the past and move on” doesn’t mean other people can

Sherilee Aragon

Emily W. I'm so sorry for your loss. This song reminds me of very similar...
Very similar experiences in my life. I don't want to detract from your comment and expressing your feelings so am not including details.
I wish you the best, Eve Swan

63 More Replies...

strawberrypiano21

One day I was having a panic attack and couldn’t stop crying. My husband played a bunch of songs loud on the speaker and when this one came on I immediately calmed down. Now it’s my go-to on a hard day.

Snorkel Dawg

I recently started having panic attacks last year and they are horrible so I have a lot of sympathy for you and hope they will improve someday for you

Master Gigachad

i understand

Ismael Alaoui

God bless your husband, what a good man.

MonGJU

W husband

The Mudpit

We used to all have speakers so loud the police would get called if you turned it up half way. Music so loud it makes your bones vibrate knocks you out of a lot of negative states. I miss the 90's sometimes....

4 More Replies...
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