Boyfriend
Against Me! Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lie to me, right through me

I don't want to hang around the graveyard
Waiting for something dead to come back
I know you think you've got one up on me
That you can see something I can't
It's not love, it's just adornment
Bathroom wall graffiti
Like clichés printed on a t-shirt
Fortune cookie poetry

I don't want to waste a high
Hanging around some place I never was
Of all the reasons to feel hateful
You're the best of them

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me, right through me

I don't want to hang around the graveyard
Waiting for something dead to come back
I know you think you've got one up on me
That you can see something I can't

It's not love, it's just adornment
Bathroom wall graffiti
Like clichés printed on a t-shirt
Fortune cookie poetry

I don't want to waste a high
Hanging around some place I never was
Of all the reasons to feel hateful
You're the best of them

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend





Lie to me, right through me

Overall Meaning

In the song "Boyfriend" by Against Me!, the opening lines express a sense of being deceived and manipulated, as the singer talks about being lied to and through. This suggests a feeling of vulnerability and being taken advantage of in a relationship. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is aware of the dishonesty but still feels trapped in a situation where they are being misled.


The repeated imagery of hanging around a graveyard waiting for something dead to come back symbolizes a sense of hopelessness and futility. The singer seems to be stuck in a stagnant and unfulfilling relationship, holding on to something that no longer has life or meaning. There is a recognition that what they are holding onto is not genuine love but rather superficial adornment, like meaningless graffiti or fortune cookie platitudes.


The chorus of the song highlights the singer's frustration with being treated like just a "boyfriend," emphasizing a lack of respect and value given to their role in the relationship. The use of profanity adds a raw and emotional intensity to the lyrics, conveying a sense of anger and disappointment. It reflects a desire for authenticity and genuine connection, rather than being reduced to a mere stereotype or placeholder in someone else's life.


Overall, "Boyfriend" captures the struggle of being in a relationship where one feels unseen, unappreciated, and ultimately deceived. The repeated plea to stop lying and the refusal to accept being treated as less than worthy of respect reveal a sense of self-awareness and a longing for honesty and truth in interactions. The song conveys a powerful message about the importance of recognizing and confronting unhealthy dynamics in relationships, and the desire for genuine connection and mutual respect.


Line by Line Meaning

Lie to me, right through me
Be dishonest with me in a way that cuts through my emotions


I don't want to hang around the graveyard / Waiting for something dead to come back
I don't want to waste time in a hopeless situation, waiting for something that will never return


I know you think you've got one up on me / That you can see something I can't
You believe that you have an advantage over me, that you can perceive something I am unaware of


It's not love, it's just adornment / Bathroom wall graffiti / Like clichés printed on a t-shirt / Fortune cookie poetry
It's not genuine love, just superficial decoration like meaningless graffiti on a bathroom wall, clichés on a t-shirt, or shallow inspirational quotes from fortune cookies


I don't want to waste a high / Hanging around some place I never was
I don't want to waste a good feeling on being in a situation where I don't belong


Of all the reasons to feel hateful / You're the best of them
Out of all the possible reasons to feel anger and resentment, you are the most significant one


Treated me like a boyfriend / Some dumb fucking boyfriend / Treated me like a boyfriend / Like just some fucking boyfriend
You treated me as if I were just a disposable boyfriend without much value or respect


Lie to me, right through me
Be dishonest with me in a way that deeply affects me




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Adam David Willard, Thomas James Gabel, James Robert Bowman, Inge Rolf Johansson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@esanfilippo1230

Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me

I don't want to hang around the graveyard, waiting for something dead to come back
I know you think you got one up on me, that you can see something I can't
It's not love, it's just adornment, bathroom wall graffiti
Like clichés printed on a t-shirt, fortune cookie poetry

I don't want to waste a high hanging around some place I never was
Of all the reasons to feel hateful, you're the best of them

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me

I don't want to hang around the graveyard, waiting for something dead to come back
I know you think you got one up on me, that you can see something I can't
It's not love, it's just adornment, bathroom wall graffiti
Like clichés printed on a t-shirt, fortune cookie poetry

I don't want to waste a high hanging around some place I never was
Of all the reasons to feel hateful, you're the best of them

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me
Lie to me

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me



All comments from YouTube:

@judithhavens2461

My last ex treated me like shit just because I'm a transgirl, one of the worst decisions of my life, dating her

@littlemisspipebomb4723

We've all been there. but the important thing is that you've moved on

@judithhavens2461

Arcordia yep I definitely have moved on

@sicklillette

Some people can be so close minded. Be the strong beautiful you that you are.

@larko2717

I’m sorry :(

@sillyandjoyus

i’m so sorry :(

@esanfilippo1230

Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me

I don't want to hang around the graveyard, waiting for something dead to come back
I know you think you got one up on me, that you can see something I can't
It's not love, it's just adornment, bathroom wall graffiti
Like clichés printed on a t-shirt, fortune cookie poetry

I don't want to waste a high hanging around some place I never was
Of all the reasons to feel hateful, you're the best of them

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me

I don't want to hang around the graveyard, waiting for something dead to come back
I know you think you got one up on me, that you can see something I can't
It's not love, it's just adornment, bathroom wall graffiti
Like clichés printed on a t-shirt, fortune cookie poetry

I don't want to waste a high hanging around some place I never was
Of all the reasons to feel hateful, you're the best of them

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me
Lie to me

Treated me like a boyfriend
Some dumb fucking boyfriend
Treated me like a boyfriend
Like just some fucking boyfriend

Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me
Lie to me, right through me

@leonagolden7919

After reading these lyrics it describes most of the relationships with cis girls I have had.

@TrickySketch

#ThatTransFeelWhen

@mychemicalawesomeness9713

Wow, I have never heard of this band before, it came up in my reccomends and it is awesome.

More Comments

More Versions