All My Own Stunts
Arctic Monkeys Lyrics

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Caricatures
Of your wrecking ball gown
In my mind
All the time
I wanna be in that
Damsel-patterned alley
Where you go
For a smoke

And sorrow slow dances
The phones are lightin' up
Takin' no chances
Close but never close enough

Been watching cowboy films
On gloomy afternoons
Tinting the solitude
Put on your dancing shoes
And show me what to do
I know you've got the moves

All my own stunts
High noon has changed its tune
Linkin' arms
Sinkin' hearts
And sorrow slow dances
Around the edges of her eyes
Takin' no chances
The last one out to win a prize

Been watching cowboy films
On gloomy afternoons
Tinting the solitude
Put on your dancing shoes
And show me what to do
I know you've got the moves

Whoa
Whoa

Whoa
Whoa

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Arctic Monkeys’ ‘All My Own Stunts’ describe the singer as being continually haunted by the image of his irresistible love interest, and he can only picture her as a wrecking ball crashing through his thoughts. The next few lines paint a picture of him desperately trying to find a way to get close to her; he imagines a specific alleyway that she frequents and he longs to join her there for a smoke. The chorus highlights his realization that ‘hiding has changed its tune’, suggesting that he can no longer play it safe and must take his chances even though they might be slim.

The second verse begins with a somewhat nostalgic and dreamy image of the singer watching cowboy films on inactive afternoons, tinting his solitude. He then calls upon his love interest to put on her dancing shoes and show him what to do since he knows she’s got the moves. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing how sorrow is creeping closer to her eyes and how he too is ‘taking no chances’ while trying to win her over.

Line by Line Meaning

Caricatures of your wrecking ball
In my mind, I have created exaggerated and distorted images of the impact you have had on my life

In my mind all the time
Your presence lingers in my thoughts constantly

I wanna be in that damsel-patterned alley
I desire to be in the same place as you, in a narrow and dark space that resembles the setting of a classic story

Where you go for a smoke
I want to be around you, even if it's just when you take a break to smoke

And sorrow slow dances
Sadness takes its time to envelop us like a slow dance

The phones are lining up
People are calling and trying to get in touch with us

Taking no chances
We are being careful and guarding ourselves against potential hurt or risks

Close but never close enough
Our relationship feels almost intimate, but it always falls short of true closeness

Been watching cowboy films
I have been passively consuming media to fill my empty and lonely afternoons

On gloomy afternoons
During times when my mood is low and the weather is dreary

Tinting the solitude
The movies color the emptiness and lack of people in my life with a certain feeling

Put on your dancing shoes
Get ready to engage and interact with me, to move together and connect

And show me what to do
Teach me how to enjoy life and experience joy, to feel alive and present again

I know you've got the moves
I believe you have the skills and the knowledge to help me start to heal and feel better

All my own stunts
I am attempting to navigate through life and relationships by taking risks and trying to succeed without outside help

Hiding has changed its tune
My strategy of avoiding conflict and hiding from my problems is no longer effective

Linking arms, syncing hearts
We are joining forces and becoming a team that understands and supports each other

Around the edges of her eyes
Tears are starting to form on the periphery of her eyes, indicating how much she is hurting

The last one out to win a prize
We are trying to outlast each other in a competition to see who can maintain their mask of indifference and detachment the longest

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Turner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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