She's Not Dead
Suede Lyrics
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Locked in a car somewhere
With exhaust in her hair
What's she called?
I don't know
She's fucking with a slip of a man
While the engine ran
He said, "She's not dead"
"She's gone away, gone away," he said
And he said, "She's not dead"
"Just go away, go away," he said
In the car he couldn't afford
They found his made-up name
On her ankle chain
So don't call, don't call her at home
She's fucking with a slip of a man
While the engine runs
And he said, "She's not dead"
"She's gone away, gone away," he said
And he said, "She's not dead"
"She's gone away, gone away," he said
"Just gone away, gone away," he said
"She's gone away to someone else's bed"
The song "She" by Suede depicts the story of a woman who is entangled in a dangerous romance. The lyrics imply that this woman is on the brink of self-destruction as she is locked in a car, inhaling exhaust fumes while having an affair with a man who is of little significance. The singer does not know her identity or what she is called, which adds to the mystery and anonymity of her character.
The repetitiveness of the line "She's not dead" signifies the denial of reality from the man she is involved with, who could be the cause of her downfall. He tells the singer to "go away" and insists that the woman has not died but has simply gone away with someone else. This implies that she is leaving him for another man and emphasizes the fleeting nature of their relationship.
Overall, "She" is a haunting and tragic masterpiece that tells a tale of a woman whose life is slipping away, and the inability of those around her to recognize the impending doom. The song is a beautiful synth-pop arrangement with a compelling storyline that will capture the listener's imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
She'll come to her end
Eventually this woman will meet her demise
Locked in a car somewhere
When she does die, it will be in a locked car
With exhaust in her hair
Her death will be caused by exhaust fumes
What's she called?
The artist doesn't know the woman's name
I don't know
The artist truly has no knowledge of her identity
She's fucking with a slip of a man
She's having sex with a weak, feeble man
While the engine ran
They were having sex in a car with the engine on
He said, "She's not dead"
A man (presumably the weak man) denies that she's dead
"She's gone away, gone away," he said
He insists that she's just gone away, not dead
And he said, "She's not dead"
He repeats his denial of her death
"Just go away, go away," he said
He tells the singer to leave
In the car he couldn't afford
The weak man couldn't afford the car they were in
They found his made-up name
The man had given a fake name
On her ankle chain
The woman had an ankle chain that had the man's fake name on it
So don't call, don't call her at home
The singer is advised not to contact the woman's home
She's fucking with a slip of a man
The weak man and woman continue to have sex
While the engine runs
They're still in the car with the engine on
And he said, "She's not dead"
The weak man is still denying her death
"She's gone away, gone away," he said
He repeats that she's just gone away
And he said, "She's not dead"
The weak man repeats his denial again
"She's gone away, gone away," he said
He insists again that she's just gone away
"Just gone away, gone away," he said
The weak man finally admits that she's left him for someone else
"She's gone away to someone else's bed"
The woman has left the weak man for someone else
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bernard Butler, Brett Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PeteCswampy
An absolute masterpiece in every way. Pure poetic lyrics. Sad, powerful, deep...achingly beautiful, just a total work of art. It never tires. You can stash this song away, come back 20 years later and it hits the target dead centre, every time. I could hammer nails with the album and it will just play . Stands the test of time. Falsetto on Anderson here, the raw guitar...the deep and clever wordplay, the poetiquette of the whole thing. God damn its good.
@Mark__383
To call Suede the inventors of Brit pop is to underrate them. They are more than that.
@tubetoneguitars112
One of the greatest songs I've ever heard
@kevsul47
that line.."in the car he couldn't afford they found his made up name on her ankle chain" still breaks my heart twenty years on.sublime stuff.
@shannonmurphy3008
Brett has THE most beautiful voice....EVER❤
@vemmerdale
It's Hauntingly Beautiful. This song takes me back to the summer of 1997.
@blobcity3591
i saw suede in nyc in 1994 or so. the counting crows opened up for them. rambunctious nyc crowd threw glass beer bottles at adam durvitz. suede came on and the crowd was wowed. everyone loved them. after the show the crowd was leaving and I looked up and saw bernard from his window looking down at us wow we shouted his praise. I bought the dark blue suede shirt with silver letters.
@cynzia_d
The guitar....sublime
@parallelsuns1
Incredible record, album, been known to put this on and play it over and over again 7 or 8 times plus when things are going wrong
@JBinOtown
One of the best/saddest songs about suicide....even better that it isn't obvious and maudlin.