Amos Lee (born 1978 as Ryan Anthony Massaro) is an American singer-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Amos Lee (born 1978 as Ryan Anthony Massaro) is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock and soul. His self-titled debut album is full of folk and soul, with a jazz twist. The Flower Songfacts state that his fourth album, Mission Bell, which was released on January 25, 2011 debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 40,000 copies sold in its first week; these sales were the lowest for a #1 debut in the Nielsen SoundScan era.

Lee grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA. He has been quoted as saying that he is fortunate to have seen different sides of life in America. Lee enrolled at the University of South Carolina in 1995. He began to play guitar and write songs seriously while he studied English. After graduating with an English degree, Lee moved back to Philadelphia to teach elementary school. He later made the tough decision to stop teaching in order to pursue a career in music. Shortly thereafter, he released a self-produced EP that featured five of his original songs, which did extremely well in Philadelphia and created a buzz. Norah Jones was the person who finally gave Lee his big breakthrough when she asked him to open for her 2004 tour. Lee then went on to produce his self-titled debut album. In March and April of 2005 Lee opened for the tour that Merle Haggard and Bob Dylan were both embarking on, all 3 performers were extremely well received by critics as the tour went by, with Dylan receiving some of his strongest reviews in years. On October 3, 2006, Lee released his second album, "Supply & Demand" to critical and commercial acclaim.

At the age of only 27, Amos Lee has enjoyed notable success with his debut album and looks to have a promising future in the music business. His favorite artists and sources of inspiration include Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, John Prine, Bill Withers, and James Taylor.

Seen It All Before
Amos Lee Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Go ahead baby, run away again
I'm growing tired of chasing you
I know you only have time to love me
When you got nothing better to do

Who's bold enough to believe
In either love or war
Both just leave you busted, and broken down, and wanting more

Baby I've seen it all before
You know that I've seen it all before
You know that I've seen it all before
I ain't gonna be your fool any more

I can hear my heart pounding
Oh, but I just can't decide
Stuck between the depths of my fears and the peaks of my pride

I've seen your tricks and your trade offs
I've seen your evil ways
I've seen every thing your twisted smile conveys

I ain't gonna be your fool, baby
I ain't gonna be your fool, baby

I ain't gonna be your fool, baby
I ain't gonna be your fool baby

Overall Meaning

The opening verse of Amos Lee's "Seen It All Before" speaks to a common theme in relationships: one person seems to want it more than the other, and no amount of chasing or pleading can change that. The singer is at the end of his rope and tired of the constant cycle of love and abandonment that his partner puts him through. He recognizes that she only wants his affection when she has nothing else going on in her life, and that he can never be a priority for her. The second verse continues this theme and adds a layer of complexity to it; the singer is torn between his fears (of being hurt once again) and his pride (in ending the unhealthy relationship for good). He's seen through his partner's "tricks and trade offs," and her "twisted smile conveys" that she's not interested in a real, committed relationship, just the thrills of the chase.

The chorus of "Seen It All Before" is a declaration of independence: the singer has finally had enough, and he won't be taken for a fool any longer. He's grown wise to his partner's games and manipulations, and won't settle for being just an afterthought in her life. The use of repetition ("You know that I've seen it all before") adds weight to his statement and reinforces his resolve. The song ends with a final repetition of the chorus, driving home the message that the singer is done being manipulated and hurt, and that he deserves better.

Line by Line Meaning

Go ahead baby, run away again
You always leave me without warning

I'm growing tired of chasing you
I'm exhausted from having to pursue you constantly

I know you only have time to love me
You only show affection when it's convenient for you

When you got nothing better to do
You prioritize me only when you have no other options

Who's bold enough to believe
Who has the courage to trust

In either love or war
In either romantic relationships or conflict

Both just leave you busted, and broken down, and wanting more
Both ultimately lead to heartbreak and unfulfillment

Baby I've seen it all before
I'm familiar with your patterns of behavior

You know that I've seen it all before
You know that I'm aware of your actions

I ain't gonna be your fool any more
I won't be taken advantage of any longer

I can hear my heart pounding
I feel intense emotions