Pretenders
All Mankind Lyrics


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Mmmm mmm yeah
Do do do do do do do-do
Ohh Yeah

Gotta change my answering machine
Now that I'm alone
Cause right now it says that we
Can't come to the phone
And I know it makes no sense
Cause you walked out the door
But it's the only way I hear your voice anymore
(it's ridiculous)
It's been months
And for some reason I just
(can't get over us)
And I'm stronger than this
(enough is enough)
No more walking round
With my head down
I'm so over being blue
Crying over you

And I'm so sick of love songs
So tired of tears
So done with wishing you were still here
Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow
So why can't I turn off the radio?

Gotta fix that calendar I have
That's marked July 15th
Because since there's no more you
There's no more anniversary
I'm so fed up with my thoughts of you
And your memory
And how every song reminds me
Of what used to be

That's the reason I'm so sick of love songs
So tired of tears
So done with wishing you were still here
Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow
So why can't I turn off the radio?

(Leave me alone)
Leave me alone
(Stupid love songs)
Don't make me think about her smile
Or having my first child
I'm letting go
Turning off the radio

Cause I'm so sick of love songs
So tired of tears
So done with wishing she was still here
Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow
So why can't I turn off the radio?
(why can't I turn off the radio?)

Said I'm so sick of love songs
So tired of tears
So done with wishing she was still here
Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow
So why can't I turn off the radio?
(why can't I turn off the radio?)

And I'm so sick of love songs
So tired of tears
So done with wishin' you were still here
Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow
Why can't I turn off the radio?




(why can't I turn off the radio?)
Why can't I turn off the radio?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of All Mankind's song "Pretenders" narrate the aftermath of a breakup where the singer is trying to move on from their past relationship. The song commences with the singer expressing their apprehensions about changing the voicemail message that still reminds them of their former lover. They also acknowledge how difficult it is to get over the person and admit that it's been months, but they cannot seem to let go. Despite being aware that they are stronger than the situation, the memories keep them from forgetting and moving on. The singer then expresses their frustration towards love songs and their continuous reminder of their past relationship, leading them to question why they can't turn off the radio. The bridge describes their desperation to let go of their memories of their former lover by turning off the radio as it continuously reminds them of what they lost, and they are finally ready to move on.


The lyrics of "Pretenders" reflect an individual who is trying to deal with their emotions resulting from a breakup. The song's message is relatable to people who have faced heartbreak while trying to move on and overcome the past. The lyrics, complimented by the music, evoke a sense of melancholia, making it an emotionally challenging yet enjoyable track.


Line by Line Meaning

Gotta change my answering machine Now that I'm alone Cause right now it says that we Can't come to the phone And I know it makes no sense Cause you walked out the door But it's the only way I hear your voice anymore (it's ridiculous)
I need to update my answering machine message because it currently implies we're still together. It's silly and illogical because you left me, but it's the only way I can still hear your voice.


It's been months And for some reason I just (can't get over us) And I'm stronger than this (enough is enough) No more walking round With my head down I'm so over being blue Crying over you
It's been months since you left, but I still can't move on. I know I'm capable of being stronger and it's time to stop feeling sorry for myself and move forward.


And I'm so sick of love songs So tired of tears So done with wishing you were still here Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow So why can't I turn off the radio?
I'm tired of listening to sad, love songs and constantly wishing you were still with me. I'm trying to turn off the radio, but I can't seem to get you off my mind.


Gotta fix that calendar I have That's marked July 15th Because since there's no more you There's no more anniversary I'm so fed up with my thoughts of you And your memory And how every song reminds me Of what used to be
I need to change my calendar to remove our anniversary because there's no more 'us' anymore. I'm sick of constantly thinking about you and how every song reminds me of what we used to have.


Leave me alone (Stupid love songs) Don't make me think about her smile Or having my first child I'm letting go Turning off the radio
I want to be left alone and can't stand listening to love songs that make me think of you and what could have been. It's time to move on and turn off the radio.


And I'm so sick of love songs So tired of tears So done with wishing she was still here Said I'm so sick of love songs so sad and slow So why can't I turn off the radio? (why can't I turn off the radio?)
I'm tired of listening to love songs and constantly wishing you were still here. I want to turn off the radio, but for some reason, I can't seem to let go.


Why can't I turn off the radio?
I don't understand why I can't seem to turn off the radio and stop thinking about you.




Contributed by Mason P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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