You Do
Aimee Mann/Supertramp/Jon Brion Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You stay the night at his house
With no ride to work
And I'm the one who tells you
He's another jerk
But you're the one who can succeed
You've only got to prove your need,
And you do
You really do

The sex you're trading up for
What you hope is love
Is just another thing that
He'll be careless of
But though there are caveats galore
You've only got to love him more,
And you do
You really do
Even when it's all too clear

You write a little note that
You leave on the bed
And spend some time dissecting
Every word he said
And if he seemed a little strange
Well, baby, anyone can change
And you do




You do
You really do

Overall Meaning

The song "You Do" by Aimee Mann is a poignant portrayal of a relationship where the singer, who is not involved with the person in question, is advising her friend against falling for the wrong person, someone who does not treat her well. The lyrics depict a sad reality where someone, despite warning, continues to love anyway, merely hoping that things will change. The opening lines of the song - "You stay the night at his house, With no ride to work, And I'm the one who tells you, He's another jerk" - set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is telling her friend that the man she's seeing is not a good person and yet she continues to stay with him because she feels she has something to gain.


Furthermore, the lyrics "The sex you're trading up for, What you hope is love, Is just another thing that, He'll be careless of" is a warning to the singer's friend. The singer is telling her friend that the person she is with is not capable of being in a real relationship, and she should be prepared for heartbreak. Despite everything, the singer acknowledges that her friend is a determined person who will persist with her relationship in the hope of finding love. The lyrics "You've only got to prove your need, And you do, You really do," are a sign of hope for her friend, as the singer acknowledges the resilience of her friend and her determination to make things work.


In the end, the singer tells the story of her friend's perseverance, even when things are clear. She writes notes trying to analyse every word the person she is with said and hopes for the best. Despite everything, she continues to love him, in the hope that he will change. The lyrics "And if he seemed a little strange, Well, baby, anyone can change, And you do, You do, You really do," is a message of hope for people who are going through a tough time in their relationship. It's a touching portrayal of the human spirit and the resilience of women in love.


Line by Line Meaning

You stay the night at his house
You spend the night at his place


With no ride to work
Without a means of getting to work


And I'm the one who tells you
I inform you


He's another jerk
He's just like the other bad ones


But you're the one who can succeed
But you have the potential to overcome this


You've only got to prove your need,
You just need to demonstrate your desire


And you do
And you do succeed


You really do
You truly do


The sex you're trading up for
The physical intimacy you're exchanging for


What you hope is love
What you desire to be affection, care, and commitment


Is just another thing that
However, it is merely another thing that


He'll be careless of
He will neglect and not treat with care


But though there are caveats galore
Despite there being many warnings


You've only got to love him more,
You just need to love him more strongly


And you do
And you do love him more


You really do
You truly do


Even when it's all too clear
Even when it is evident


You write a little note that
You compose a short message that


You leave on the bed
You leave on the bed


And spend some time dissecting
And take some time to analyze


Every word he said
Every sentence he uttered


And if he seemed a little strange
And if he appeared slightly peculiar


Well, baby, anyone can change
Well, darling, anyone can transform


And you do
And you do transform him


You do
You certainly do


You really do
You truly do




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Thushar SS

Each line in this scene is reference to what the character is going through.

It's not
What you thought
When you first began it- Claudia’s cocaine addiction

You're sure
There's a cure
And you have finally found it- Jimmys cancer

You think
One drink
Will shrink you 'til you're underground- Donnie’s drinking problem

Prepare a list of what you need
Before you sign away the deed- about Linda’s husband’s will.



All comments from YouTube:

Jeremy Adams

I saw this movie in 1999 and liked it, but it didn't resonate for me at that moment in my life. 15 years later I rediscovered it... my Mom had just died from lupus, and watching this movie became my way of coping, of processing the pain, the anger, of dealing with how lost I felt. Every second of this (very long) movie speaks some truth. It is harsh sometimes, it is beautiful, it is ridiculous, it is hopeful, it is full of random, pointless circumstance, it is full of divine spirituality, it shows human frailty and strength. Thank you PT Anderson for creating this profound art that can reach people who are in pain. And thank you Aimee Mann for this song.

Doveflyer

I have lupus..

Norm Appleton

Yeah, it's brilliant. Aimee Mann brings the feel. Her music propels the movie to greatness.

Karen Cooper

So very true that this movie hits you different at different stages of your life. Saw it in ‘99 in my 20s and again recently at 50 and had a very different experience. Appreciate this film very much.

bignose140

<3

Architeuthis Dux

This movie usually only resonates when a person comes of age or goes through similar experiences portrayed by the characters in this film. I'm in my early 40s, I was in love with the movie when I saw this in my early 20s. It's a masterpiece I've recommended to some people. To my chagrin, most of whom I showed this film to didn't like the movie. I just tell them with time and life experience, they'll truly appreciate its meaning.

29 More Replies...

Reece Hamilton

This might actually be one of the most beautiful scenes in all of cinema

Daniel Steven

Well, in fact, this movie is considered one of the best films in american history.

Jef Curlin

A beautiful scene that I think of often.

MemoryLaneCinema

Seymour Hofman. What an actor! Was one of my favs.

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