When I was told
You lied to me
I hung my head in shame.
When I was told
You were cheating me
I bit my lip in pain.

So back up,
Back away.
And you better know now,
Just for a little while,
So it one more time,
Just for a little while.

Oh, back up,
Back far away.
And you better know
Just for a little while,
Do it one more time,
Just for a little while.

Overall Meaning

The Walkmen's song 'No Christmas While I'm Talking' is a sad and regretful song about the pain of being lied to and cheated. The lyrics seem to be addressed to a person who has betrayed the singer's trust, and they express the singer's desire for that person to back away and give them space to process their feelings. The line "when I was told you lied to me, I hung my head in shame" suggests that the singer feels personally responsible for being deceived, as if they should have somehow known better or been able to prevent it. The pain of being cheated is expressed in the line "when I was told you were cheating me, I bit my lip in pain," which suggests a sense of both physical and emotional discomfort.

The chorus, which repeats the lines "back up, back away, and you better know now, just for a little while, do it one more time, just for a little while," seems to be a plea for the person who betrayed the singer to give them some space and time to process their emotions. The repetition of the phrase "just for a little while" suggests that the singer doesn't want to sever the relationship completely, but rather wants some time to heal and regain trust. The repeated use of the word "back" in the chorus reinforces the singer's desire for the other person to give them some distance.

Overall, 'No Christmas While I'm Talking' is a poignant reminder of the pain that comes with betrayal and the challenges of rebuilding trust in a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was told
Upon hearing the news

You lied to me
That you were dishonest with me

I hung my head in shame.
I felt embarrassed and guilty

When I was told
Again, when I heard

You were cheating me
That you were unfaithful to me

I bit my lip in pain.
I suffered emotional distress

So back up,
Move back and give me some space

Back away.
Retreat and leave me alone

And you better know now,
You need to be aware

Just for a little while,
Only temporarily

So it one more time,
Repeat what you did

Just for a little while.
Only for a brief period

Oh, back up,
Once again, move back

Back far away.
Retreat even further

And you better know
You need to understand

Just for a little while,
For a short amount of time

Do it one more time,
Repeat the same thing again

Just for a little while.
Only temporarily

Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JAMES HAMILTON LEITHAUSER, MATTHEW FREDERICK BARRICK, PAUL C MAROON, PETER M BAUER, WALTER R MARTIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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When I was told
You lied to me
I hung my head in shame
When I was told
That you were cheating me
I bit my lip in pain

So, back up
Back away
And you'd better go
Just for a little while
We'll do it one more time
Just for a little while

So, back up
Back far away
And you'd better go
Just for a little while
We'll do it one more time
Just for a little while