Shoe Box
Barenaked Ladies Lyrics

A key in the door, a step on the floor
Someone has just arrived home

A note on the table, and a meal in the micro
The person who has just arrived home has left a note and some food in the microwave

Note says "I'm in bed, please make sure that you're fed
The note is telling the recipient to eat and take care of themselves

If you're taking a shower, you can borrow my bathrobe
The note is also offering the recipient the use of their bathrobe

When I'm asleep I dream you move in next week"
The person who left the note is dreaming about the recipient moving in with them in the future

I crumple the note and save it to put inside
The recipient saves the note in their shoe box of lies

My shoe box (shoe box)
The recipient has a shoe box where they keep their lies

Shoe box of lies
The recipient's shoe box is full of lies

It's under my bed, it's never been read
The shoe box is stored under the recipient's bed and they have never read its contents

It's in with my school stuff and my mom never cleans there
The shoe box is stored with the recipient's school stuff in a place where their mother never cleans

From my first little fib, when I still wore a bib
The shoe box contains lies that the recipient has been telling since they were a child

To my latest attempt at pretending I'm someone
The shoe box contains the most recent lies that the recipient has told in order to pretend to be someone else

Who's not seventeen, doesn't know what you mean
The lies in the shoe box are intended to hide the fact that the recipient is only 17 years old and doesn't understand some things

When talk turns to single malts, or Stilton, or
The recipient doesn't know about single malts or Stilton, which they are trying to hide through their lies

Did somebody tell you This is how it's supposed to be? Or did you just find it And you don't want any more from me?
The recipient is questioning whether the expectation to lie and be someone else is something they learned from someone else or self-imposed

Was it something I said, or was it something you read That's making me think that I should never have come here?
The recipient is wondering whether something they did or said led to the expectation to lie

I can offer you lies, I can tell you good-bye I can tell you I'm sorry, but I can't tell you the truth, dear
The recipient is acknowledging that they have been lying and can offer more lies or an apology, but cannot tell the truth about who they really are

And what if I could, would it do any good? You'll still never get to see the contents of
The recipient is questioning whether telling the truth would make any difference, since the lies are already in the shoe box and cannot be taken back

You're so '99 And it's 1994 Leave this world behind me 'Cause you don't want me anymore
The recipient feels like they don't fit in with the current year and wants to leave, because they believe they are no longer wanted or accepted

Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie
The song ends with the repetition of the word 'Lie', emphasizing the theme of deceit and the lies that are contained in the shoe box