Don't Talk
10.000 Maniacs - MTV Unplugged Lyrics
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Don't talk, you keep your distance
For I'd rather hear some truth tonight than entertain your lies
So take you poison silently
Let me be, let me close my eyes
Don't talk, I'll believe it
Don't talk, listen to me instead
The drink you drown your troubles in is the trouble you're in now
Talk talk talk about it, if you talk as if you care
But when your talk is over tilt that bottle in the air
Tossing back more than your share
Don't talk, I can guess it
Don't talk, well now you're restless
And you need somewhere to put the blame for how you feel inside
You'll look for a close and easy mark and you'll see me as fair game
Talk talk talk about it, you talk as if you care
But when your talk is over you tilt that bottle in the air
Tossing back more than your share
You talk talk talk about it, you talk as if you care
I'm marking every word and can tell this time for sure
Your talk is the finest I have heard
So don't talk, I was sleeping
Don't talk, let me go on dreaming
How your eyes they glow so fiercely I can tell you're inspired
By the name you just chose for me, now what was it? Oh, never mind it
We will talk talk talk about this when your head is clear
I'll discuss this in the morning, but until then you may talk but I won't hear
In “Don’t Talk,” the lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant, is asking someone to stop talking and just listen for once. The song begins with a plea for honesty, as Merchant would rather hear the truth than the lies that the person has been telling. The lyrics then move to drinking, and how the drink you use to drown your sorrows may actually be the root of those sorrows. The chorus repeats the phrase “Talk talk talk about it,” and suggests that the person talking doesn’t really care about what they’re saying, they just want to drink.
In the third verse, Merchant guesses the reason for the person’s restlessness and urges them to find someone else to blame for their problems. She then comments on the person’s speech patterns, saying that their talk is actually quite impressive, but it doesn’t matter because she won’t listen. The song ends with the singer falling asleep and dreaming while the other person continues to talk.
The song is quite poignant and speaks to the human desire for authenticity and genuine conversation, as well as the dangers of using substances to cope with your problems.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't talk, I will listen
Please don't speak, I am willing to hear you out
Don't talk, you keep your distance
Do not engage with me, keep your space
For I'd rather hear some truth tonight than entertain your lies
I don't want to listen to falsehoods, I'd rather hear the truth
So take you poison silently
Drink your troubles away quietly, without my judgement
Let me be, let me close my eyes
Leave me alone, I want to rest
Don't talk, I'll believe it
Stop talking, I'll accept what you're saying
Don't talk, listen to me instead
Cease your chatter and hear me out
I know that if you think of it, both long enough and hard
If you contemplate it deeply and for a prolonged amount of time
The drink you drown your troubles in is the trouble you're in now
The alcohol you consume to forget your problems is now a problem itself
Talk talk talk about it, if you talk as if you care
You frequently discuss your concerns as if you are empathetic
But when your talk is over tilt that bottle in the air
Once you're done talking, you start drinking excessively
Tossing back more than your share
Drinking more than is reasonable or fair
Don't talk, I can guess it
Don't bother, I am capable of figuring it out myself
Don't talk, well now you're restless
Please stop talking because now you seem uneasy
And you need somewhere to put the blame for how you feel inside
You are searching for someone to hold accountable for your emotions
You'll look for a close and easy mark and you'll see me as fair game
You'll perceive me as a nearby and vulnerable target to blame
I'm marking every word and can tell this time for sure
I am paying close attention and I am confident in my understanding
Your talk is the finest I have heard
You are quite skilled at expressing yourself
So don't talk, I was sleeping
Please don't speak, I was in a state of slumber
Don't talk, let me go on dreaming
Stop talking, I want to continue dreaming
How your eyes they glow so fiercely I can tell you're inspired
Your piercing and intense gaze reveals that you're motivated
By the name you just chose for me, now what was it? Oh, never mind it
Your choice of name for me was noteworthy, but I'm no longer interested in hearing it
We will talk talk talk about this when your head is clear
We'll discuss this matter more when you're thinking clearly
I'll discuss this in the morning, but until then you may talk but I won't hear
I'll talk with you tomorrow, but for now feel free to speak without my attention
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: DENNIS DREW, NATALIE MERCHANT, NATALIE A MERCHANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rodolfo
on jezebel
Hi! This song is amazing and underrated in my point of view. I agree with many of your understanding, but I think this is the case that she married her best friend and now regret it ("How I wish that we never had tried to be man and his wife"), someone she had a very powerful friendship feeling ("the sacred tie that bound me to you", the tie of a strong friendship) mistakenly confused by love (love of lovers not love of friends: "I'm not saying I'm replacing love for some other word to describe the sacred tie that bound me to you", "it's [love] a powerful word, inspired by strong desire to bind myself to you").
I think this is the classic case of friends who get married or involved that ruins the friendship forever after the break up (one of them, the other was really in love). She knows the break up will be devastating for him (broken heart!) and for her (lost of her friend) and she tries to keep some tie with him at least as family (they had a child or children) because he means to her very much as a friend, a kinf of love ("it's [love is] a powerful word, inspired by strong desire to bind myself to you", the bind of those great friendships).
I think this understanding makes each line to make sense as a whole.
What do you think?
Best!