True Believer
Aimee Mann Lyrics

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Nightly, you retrace your steps again to return to the scene of the crime
It's uncanny how you hover in the air of the wreckage that you left behind

[Chorus]
I want you but you're a poltergeist
I want you but baby the price is high
I want you and now I've said it twice so Mary dim the lights

Really when you come into the room it's not helping me, seeing you down
It's not easy in this phosphorescent gloom telling waking dreams apart anyhow

[Chorus]

Cups and saucers crashing in but Houdini applauds the gag again and no one's a true believer

[Chorus]

Cups and saucers crashing in but Houdini applauds the gag again

Overall Meaning

The song "True Believer" by Aimee Mann seems to be about someone who is stuck in the past and cannot move forward from a certain event or relationship. The first verse implies that the person frequently goes back to the place where something significant happened, perhaps a traumatic event. It's as if the person is trying to relive the experience or figure out what went wrong. However, despite being haunted by the past and the memories, the person seems unable to let go or move on. The metaphor of a "poltergeist" suggests that the person's presence is felt but they are not completely there; they are more like a ghost of themselves.

The chorus speaks to the theme of unrequited love. The singer wants someone who is unattainable or difficult to be with. The repeated phrase "I want you" sounds more like a plea or a lament than an expression of desire. The line "the price is high" hints that there may be consequences or rejection involved in pursuing the relationship. The last line of the chorus, "Mary dim the lights," is a reference to the famous poem "Mary Had a Little Lamb" which is often used as a childhood game to choose a leader. It could be interpreted as the singer asking for someone else to take control or to provide guidance.

The second verse introduces a sense of confusion and disorientation. The singer finds it challenging to distinguish between reality and dreams, which suggests that their mental state is precarious. The phrase "phosphorescent gloom" evokes a dreamlike atmosphere, which could reflect the mental and emotional state of the singer.

The final line of the song, "cups and saucers crashing in but Houdini applauds the gag again," speaks to the idea that the singer is trapped in a cycle they cannot escape from. The metaphor of Houdini applauding indicates that even the singer is aware that they are repeating the same mistakes or patterns over and over again.

Overall, "True Believer" is a poignant song about the struggles of letting go of the past and moving on with life.

Line by Line Meaning

Nightly, you retrace your steps again to return to the scene of the crime
Every night, you revisit the place where things went wrong.

It's uncanny how you hover in the air of the wreckage that you left behind
It's strange how you keep hovering in the mess you made.

I want you but you're a poltergeist
I desire you, but you're a destructive presence in my life.

I want you but baby the price is high
I desire you, but the cost of being with you is too high.

I want you and now I've said it twice so Mary dim the lights
I've expressed my desire for you twice, so let's change the subject.

Really when you come into the room it's not helping me, seeing you down
Seeing you unhappy when you enter the room doesn't make things easier for me.

It's not easy in this phosphorescent gloom telling waking dreams apart anyhow
It's hard to distinguish between reality and dreamlike states in this eerie atmosphere.

Cups and saucers crashing in but Houdini applauds the gag again
There's chaos and confusion all around, but the entertainer still finds it amusing.

No one's a true believer
No one truly believes in what's happening.

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: AIMEE MANN, GRANT LEE PHILLIPS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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