Calculating Bimbo
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
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You took for being lazy
I was just being lazy
I'm even doing it now
I know that you have saved me
I love that you have saved me
Save your pennies careful
Let both blue eyes be watchful
It's best to forget freedom
It's best to be enslaved
It's better still to love first
It's harder still to love first
You're my winter queen that disappeared
Your hands grew cold
You ran a mile from my ways
I still heard you had a fourth floor view
With lots of time
A notebook full of the finest, creamy, rich girl parchment pages
Slowly fill with all your passing days
Every sacred word paints a picture
Bigger were his muscles
Than father ?
But when you are in trouble
And when you are uptight
I get the midnight phone call
I'm your captain for the long haul
If someone else is near me
You scuttle up the pavement
It's no one that I care for
I pause for an effect
You calculating bimbo
I wish you'd let the past go
The Belle and Sebastian song "Calculating Bimbo" is a melancholy reflection on past relationships and missed opportunities. The lyrics start off with a sense of self-awareness and honesty, as the singer admits to being lazy, but the tone becomes more bitter as the song progresses. The singer seems to be addressing an ex-girlfriend or partner who was difficult and calculating in their behavior, making it hard for the singer to move on.
The chorus is a meditation on the nature of love and freedom. The lines "It's best to forget freedom / It's best to be enslaved / It's better still to love first / It's harder still to love first" suggest that although being in love can be difficult and even oppressive at times, it is still preferable to the loneliness and emptiness of independence. The tone is somewhat mournful, as if the singer is regretting their own inability to love fully and openly.
The song also contains several vivid images, such as the winter queen with cold hands who disappears, and the notebook filled with "the finest, creamy, rich girl parchment pages." These details add to the overall sense of wistfulness and nostalgia that permeates the song.
Line by Line Meaning
A lack of understanding
I was not aware of the situation
You took for being lazy
You misunderstood my inaction as laziness
I was just being lazy
I was not actively taking any steps, but not out of laziness
I'm even doing it now
I am still not taking any action
I know that you have saved me
I appreciate that you have helped me before
I love that you have saved me
I am grateful for your help
Save your pennies careful
Be mindful of your spending
Let both blue eyes be watchful
Be alert and cautious
It's best to forget freedom
Sometimes it is easier to not have choices
It's best to be enslaved
Having limited options can make life simpler
It's better still to love first
It is more fulfilling to love without reservation
It's harder still to love first
It takes courage to love without holding back
You're my winter queen that disappeared
You were once important to me but are now gone
Your hands grew cold
Our relationship cooled off
You ran a mile from my ways
You left me because of the way I behaved
I still heard you had a fourth-floor view
I heard you moved to a nice apartment
With lots of time
You have time to reflect
A notebook full of the finest, creamy, rich girl parchment pages
You have a fancy notebook
Slowly fill with all your passing days
You write down your experiences
Every sacred word paints a picture
Your words are meaningful and expressive
Bigger were his muscles
He was physically strong
Than father?
But when you are in trouble
If you need my help
And when you are uptight
Or if you are worried
I get the midnight phone call
I am available to help you
I'm your captain for the long haul
I will support you for the long term
If someone else is near me
If I'm with someone else
You scuttle up the pavement
You hurry off
It's no one that I care for
That person is not important to me
I pause for an effect
I purposely slow down for dramatic effect
You calculating bimbo
You are manipulative
I wish you'd let the past go
I hope you can move on from past issues
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BOB KILDEA, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind