Counting
Anne Heaton Lyrics
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I know you'll walk away
Happy that you got the prize
With that look in your eyes
You'll be counting, counting, counting,
Yeah you'll be counting
For seven long years
You do the math from when you think I started
How many has it been?
If I tell you that I liked it
Did I lie about our sex?
You know I tell the truth only half the time
Or maybe forty-five percent
Yeah you'll be counting, counting, counting,
You'll be counting
Did she like it, like it, like it?
You'll be counting
If I tried to hurt you
I'd wanna know how much it did
Just how much money would it cost
To repair the pain I inflict?
Tears are like snowflakes
I want to catch yours in my hand
Study each one and rank its beauty
On a scale from one to ten
I'll be counting, counting, counting
I'll be counting
Did it hurt you, hurt you, hurt you?
I'll be counting
We'll be counting, counting, counting,
We'll be counting
The opening lyrics to Anne Heaton’s “Counting” describe the aftermath of a romantic relationship, with the singer imagining what her ex-partner would say if they saw her successful and happy after their breakup. The singer acknowledges the likelihood that her former partner would feel regret or envy but also emphasizes that they should not underestimate the emotional toll of ending their relationship. The repetition of the word “counting” creates an eerie and obsessive tone that mirrors the singer’s fixation on measuring the value of the relationship.
The next verse introduces the idea of sexual fidelity and honesty, questioning whether the singer is being truthful about her sexual experiences. The line “You know I tell the truth only half the time” suggests a pattern of dishonesty, in which the singer manipulates the truth for their own benefit. The repetition of the phrase “like it” emphasizes the salaciousness of the topic and implies that the former partner is not as indifferent to the singer’s sexual experiences as they appear.
The final verse of the song returns to themes of emotional pain and the importance of measurement, with the singer imagining the value of each tear shed by her former partner. The line “Tears are like snowflakes” is an analogy that emphasizes the uniqueness of emotional experiences and the difficulty of precisely measuring or understanding them. The line “On a scale from one to ten” is an attempt to quantify and rank emotional pain, but it also highlights the limitations of measuring something as complex as human emotion. Overall, “Counting” is a haunting portrayal of a relationship’s aftermath, with the singer obsessively measuring and analyzing their experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
If we make it
If our relationship lasts
I know you'll walk away
I know you will break up with me
Happy that you got the prize
Feeling satisfied that you won
With that look in your eyes
With a certain expression in your eyes
You'll be counting, counting, counting,
You will keep count, repeatedly
Yeah you'll be counting
You will be keeping track
You know I had a boyfriend
You know that I had a previous romantic partner
For seven long years
For a lengthy period of seven years
You do the math from when you think I started
Calculate the time frame from the assumed start of my previous relationship
How many has it been?
How many romantic partners have I had since then?
If I tell you that I liked it
If I say that I enjoyed our sexual activity
Did I lie about our sex?
Did I fabricate details about our sexual activity?
You know I tell the truth only half the time
You know that I am only truthful about half of the time
Or maybe forty-five percent
Or perhaps a little bit more than half of the time I am truthful
Did she like it, like it, like it?
Did my previous partner enjoy our sexual activity?
If I tried to hurt you
If I intentionally tried to cause you pain
I'd wanna know how much it did
I would like to have a sense of how much hurt you experienced
Just how much money would it cost
How much money would it take
To repair the pain I inflict?
To make up for my harmful actions?
Tears are like snowflakes
Crying tears is like snow falling from the sky
I want to catch yours in my hand
I would like to comfort you while you cry
Study each one and rank its beauty
Examine each tear drop and determine how beautiful it is
On a scale from one to ten
Using a scale of one to ten to rate their beauty
I'll be counting, counting, counting
I will keep count, repeatedly
Did it hurt you, hurt you, hurt you?
Did the situation cause you emotional or physical pain?
We'll be counting, counting, counting,
We will keep count, repeatedly
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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