Callous
Ani DiFranco Lyrics
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So it took me a minute to understand
That you really were hurt bad
That day you deeply cut your hand
And then that look that you gave me
Sent me rushing through guilt's door
I'd already started to feel callous
Like I really should care more
It was my work that kept me upright
So you called it a crutch
While I drifted off
Into dreams of such and such
And by the time we'd come full circle
We knew exactly what to do
Just keep looking at the triangle
Instead of what it's pointing to
But you can't will yourself happy
You can't will your cunt wet
You can't keep standing at the station
Pretending you're being met
You can't wear a sign that says 'yours'
When that ain't what you get
It flows and flows away from me
My love is a stream
Your love is a vaudeville show
So charming and obscene
We both had our moments
We both had our fun
And then I hated to prove 'em all right
All those who said I'd run
But you can't will yourself happy
You can't will your cunt wet
You can't keep standing at the station
Pretending you're being met
You can't keep wearing a sign that says 'yours'
When that ain't what you get
In "Callous," Ani DiFranco sings about the complexities of a love that has gone awry. The lyrics touch on themes such as guilt, misunderstanding, and unfulfillment. The song starts with an image of someone crying wolf and how it has become difficult for the singer to distinguish genuine hurt from manipulative behavior. When the singer realizes that their loved one is in pain, they feel guilty for their initial callousness. The singer then talks about how their work became their crutch, and dreams of something else were their escape. The two characters in the song seem to have reached a point where they know one another too well, and they no longer know how to find that spark that made them fall in love. The song ends with the realization that sometimes willpower isn't enough to change certain things. The singer knows they cannot pretend to be happy or fulfilled, and that they cannot just wear a sign that says they belong to someone when they don't.
Line by Line Meaning
You cried and you cried and you cried wolf
You repeatedly cried out without any real danger, which made it hard for me to believe that you were actually hurt when you deeply cut your hand that day.
So it took me a minute to understand
It took me a while to realize the severity of your injury.
That you really were hurt bad
That your injury was actually serious and not just another false alarm.
And then that look that you gave me
The expression on your face made me feel guilty for my initial lack of concern.
Sent me rushing through guilt's door
I felt a sudden wave of guilt for not caring enough.
I'd already started to feel callous
My previous lack of concern had started to make me feel emotionally insensitive.
Like I really should care more
I realized that I needed to be more compassionate and attentive to your needs.
It was my work that kept me upright
My job was what kept me functioning and stable.
So you called it a crutch
You saw my job as a dependency or weakness.
While I drifted off
I would mentally detach and daydream while we were spending time together.
Into dreams of such and such
I would imagine various scenarios or fantasies in my mind.
And by the time we'd come full circle
After going through various experiences and emotions.
We knew exactly what to do
We found a solution to our problems.
Just keep looking at the triangle
Focus on the underlying cause or principle instead of the superficial aspects of a situation.
Instead of what it's pointing to
Rather than being distracted by the surface details or symptoms.
But you can't will yourself happy
It's not possible to force yourself to feel happy or fulfilled.
You can't will your cunt wet
You can't simply decide to be sexually aroused.
You can't keep standing at the station
You can't wait around for something that may never come.
Pretending you're being met
Faking that someone is coming to meet you.
You can't wear a sign that says 'yours'
You can't keep advertising yourself as available or committed to another person.
When that ain't what you get
When you're not actually receiving the love or commitment that you desire.
It flows and flows away from me
My love seems to constantly move away from me.
My love is a stream
My love is a natural force that moves in a certain direction.
Your love is a vaudeville show
Your love is more of an entertaining spectacle than a real emotional connection.
So charming and obscene
It's both attractive and repulsive in its behavior and appearance.
We both had our moments
Both of us had times when we felt truly connected and happy together.
We both had our fun
We enjoyed each other's company and shared good times.
And then I hated to prove 'em all right
I felt upset when others' predictions about our relationship turned out to be accurate.
All those who said I'd run
People who had warned me that I would eventually leave you.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ANI DIFRANCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind