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Good Intent
Kimbra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You heard the crickets of the early eve
They lurk around the opening in twos and threes
Clementine told you not to move with the breeze
I'll take you down to places where we dare not speak

The red light in the doorway says she's armed
But boy go try your luck and you might get past
Step into the dwelling of the liger's mouth
Peer into the panic for a kick and swell
You know you shouldn't be there but it's way past bed
There's comfort in the fingers of your good intent
You know you shouldn't be there but your money's all spent
You've got your reputation and your good intent
Your good intent

Out to feed that habit when you've sowed that seed
Nothing made you feel out of the ordinary
But the air turns sombre and the night took heed
Took you on a waltz of hypocrisy
She broke your bones, now you're lying in the dirt
The shadow of a hunter under your torture
It's not enough to say, it's not what's in your heart
You've tainted every moment till death do we part

I know you didn't mean it, boy you meant so well
The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
I know you didn't mean it when you counted to ten
You're slipping through the fingers of your good intent

I know you didn't mean it, though you meant so well
The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
I know you didn't mean it when you counted to ten
You've got your reputation and your good intent
Such a good intent

It's not enough to hope for the best
It's not enough to lie there on a brace
The liger's on the prowl now you've pulled its strings
One false move and soon you're playing dice for a

Overall Meaning

Explanation:


The lyrics to Kimbra's song Good Intent are about a person who is struggling with their addiction and trying to defy their better judgment. The singer is aware of the person's habit and the dangerous situations that they have found themselves in as a result. The singer observes as the person ignores warnings and succumbs to the temptation, ultimately leading to their downfall.


The opening lines describe the crickets that are heard during early evening, which is a metaphor for the person's inner voice warning them against moving forward. Clementine, who is mentioned in the lyrics, is someone who also warned them against the perilous situation they find themselves in, but the person ignored her advice. The singer describes the dwelling as the "liger's mouth," which is a combination of a lion and a tiger, representing the danger and unpredictability of the situation.


The chorus highlights the person's good intentions and reputation, which they have now put at risk due to their addiction. The person tries to justify their actions by convincing themselves that their actions are for the greater good. However, the singer warns that it's not enough to hope for the best and that one wrong move can lead to disastrous consequences.


Overall, the song is a cautionary tale against the lure of addiction and the importance of listening to one's inner voice in dangerous situations.


Line by Line Meaning

You heard the crickets of the early eve
You were there in the moment and could hear the peaceful sounds of the crickets in the early evening.


They lurk around the opening in twos and threes
The crickets were gathered together around an opening in the area, perhaps for food or shelter.


Clementine told you not to move with the breeze
Someone named Clementine warned you to be cautious and not make hasty decisions, like following the direction of the wind.


I'll take you down to places where we dare not speak
I can show you places that are hidden or secretive that we don't usually talk about.


The red light in the doorway says she's armed
There is a warning sign, perhaps a red light, indicating that someone is armed near the doorway.


But boy go try your luck and you might get past
Even with the warning sign, someone dares you to try your luck and see if you can get through.


Step into the dwelling of the liger's mouth
You are entering a dangerous dwelling that resembles a liger's mouth, where you could easily be bitten or injured.


Peer into the panic for a kick and swell
You are seeking excitement and a rush of adrenaline by looking into or creating chaos and panic.


You know you shouldn't be there but it's way past bed
You are well aware that you shouldn't be there, but it's late at night and you are already past your bedtime.


There's comfort in the fingers of your good intent
You find solace in believing that your intentions are good, even though you are knowingly putting yourself in harm's way.


You know you shouldn't be there but your money's all spent
You are broke and cannot afford to leave the dangerous situation, even though you know it's not where you should be.


You've got your reputation and your good intent
You hold onto your sense of morality and respectability, even though you are making choices that contradict those values.


Out to feed that habit when you've sowed that seed
You are out to satisfy an addiction or craving, even though you yourself were the one who created the negative consequence in the first place.


Nothing made you feel out of the ordinary
You feel completely normal and unfazed by the dangerous situation around you, as if it is a part of your daily routine.


But the air turns sombre and the night took heed
The atmosphere becomes more serious and ominous, and the night seems to be warning you of the impending danger.


Took you on a waltz of hypocrisy
You are engaging in hypocritical behavior by knowingly putting yourself in harm's way and disregarding your own safety, yet still claiming to have good intentions.


She broke your bones, now you're lying in the dirt
The danger catches up with you and you have been physically harmed or injured, lying helpless on the ground.


The shadow of a hunter under your torture
You are experiencing the agony of being hunted or chased by someone, and it feels like torture.


It's not enough to say, it's not what's in your heart
Words alone are not sufficient to justify or excuse the choices you have made; your true intentions must align with your actions.


You've tainted every moment till death do we part
Your actions have permanently tainted all the moments in your life up until death, and there is no way to undo the harm you have done.


I know you didn't mean it, boy you meant so well
Someone understands that you had good intentions, but unfortunately they led you down a dangerous and harmful path.


The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
Your hopes and dreams, represented by the pennies thrown into a wishing well, are slipping away and disappearing due to your poor choices and actions.


You're slipping through the fingers of your good intent
Your good intentions for yourself and others are slipping away from you, as you continue to make harmful choices.


Such a good intent
It is tragic and ironic that despite your good intentions, your actions have caused so much harm and devastation.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Francois Lois Tetaz, Kimbra Lee Johnson

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

Lubna Siddiq

Here are the lyrics, if you can keep your eyes off the mesmerizing dance..

You heard the crickets of the early eve
They lurk around the opening in two's and three's
Clementine told you not to move with the breeze
I'll take you down to places where we dare not speak

The red light in the doorway says she's armed
But boy go try your luck and you might get pass
Step into the dwelling of the liger's mouth
Peer into the panic for a kick and swell
You know you shouldn't be there but it's way past bed
There's comfort in the fingers of your good intent
You know you shouldn't be there but your money's all spent
You've got your reputation and your good intent
Your good intent

Out to feed that habit when you've sowed that seed
Nothing made you feel out of the ordinary
But the air turns sombre and the night took heed
Took you on a waltz of hypocrisy
She broke your bones, now you're lying in the dirt
The shadow of a hunter under your torture
It's not enough to say, it's not what's in your heart
You've tainted every moment till death do we part

I know you didn't mean it, boy you meant so well
The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
I know you didn't mean it when you counted to ten
You're slipping through the fingers of your good intent

I know you didn't mean it, though you meant so well
The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
I know you didn't mean it when you counted to ten
You've got your reputation and your good intent
Such a good intent

It's not enough to hope for the best
It's not enough to lie there on a breast
The liger's on the prowl now you've pulled its strings
One false move and soon you're playing dice for a-



All comments from YouTube:

altgirl stuck in kpopland

Her voice is just astounding, I terribly love her.

And she looks gorgeous here!

Dinka Boutit

Literally gorgeous EVERYWHERE.

Naomie Moore

She is a stunning young woman. Really enjoy her.

T V

Agreed. Possibly the most beautiful woman in the world at the time

Aira Jade

One word for her: UNDERRATED 👏👏👏

絢瀬 セリア

That’s right

Aira Jade

She deserves so much more credit for such an amazing talent!

Andthelion_10

Exactly!

hallesdad

No, under appreciated

purplesky

Wow, I love everything about this. Her voice, the choreo, the set, the storyline, her face lol.
She's awesome.

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