"It's All Been Done" is a song by the Can… Read Full Bio ↴Released February 23, 1999
"It's All Been Done" is a song by the Canadian group Barenaked Ladies. It was the second single from their 1998 album, Stunt.
Steven Page apparently wrote this song after being embarrassed at how "wordy" his song, Brian Wilson, was. He decided he wanted to write something with a simple phrase like "woo hoo hoo" in the chorus.
Although not as popular as their previous single, "One Week", it was used as the theme song for the TV series Baby Blues. The song is also notable for being one of, if not the first Barenaked Ladies song feature an electric guitar solo by Ed Robertson.
The video was directed by Doug Aitken and was filmed in the former house of comedian Andrew Dice Clay. The concept of the video was that it was seen from the point of view of various household pets (a cat, a dog, a goldfish, and a bird). Robertson was particularly disappointed with the filming of the video while it was being shot, as he didn't feel it was capturing the feeling of the concept.
During promotion for the album the song was performed on all three big NBC late night shows. Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien (notable for Steve's messing up by repeating a pre-chorus) and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where earlier guest, actor David Duchovny joined the band for the song, playing an egg shaker. The band had arranged it with the actor after an impromptu meeting a week earlier while shooting a television guest appearance at a studio lot. The band suggested that Duchovny (whose series The X-Files was referenced in "One Week") should perform with them after discovering that they'd both be on the Tonight Show.
The song was also used to open the setlist of the band's Stunt tour, and has been used to open many shows since.
The intro has also been used on the Argos adverts of 2004 and 2005.
It's All Been Done
Barenaked Ladies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I begged you to let me take you home
You were wrong, I was right
You said goodbye, I said goodnight
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
I knew you before the west was won
And I heard you say the past
Was much more fun
You go your way, I go mine
But I'll see you next time
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
If I put my fingers here, and if I say
"I love you, dear"
And if I play the same three chords
Will you just yawn and say
"Ah, I hate it"
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
Alone and bored on a thirtieth-century night
Will I see you on The Price Is Right?
Will I cry? Will I smile?
As you run down the aisle?
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
The lyrics to Barenaked Ladies' "It's All Been Done" are about a relationship that has been going on for a very long time - longer than the fall of Rome or the settling of the American West. The singer met the subject of the song a long time ago, and they keep running into each other over and over again. They've had their differences and gone their separate ways, but they always seem to come back to each other. The "Woo-woo-woo" parts of the song seem to be commentary on the fact that everything has been done before, and nothing is truly new or original.
The lines "If I put my fingers here, and if I say 'I love you, dear' / And if I play the same three chords / Will you just yawn and say 'Ah, I hate it'" suggest that the relationship has become stale and predictable, with nothing new or exciting to offer. The singer wonders if they will ever be able to break out of this cycle and find something truly fresh and new.
Line by Line Meaning
I met you before the fall of Rome
I've known you for a long time
And I begged you to let me take you home
I wanted to be with you
You were wrong, I was right
We don't always agree
You said goodbye, I said goodnight
We parted ways
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
Life is repetitive, not much is new
I knew you before the west was won
I've known you for a long time
And I heard you say the past
Was much more fun
You prefer the past to the present
You go your way, I go mine
But I'll see you next time
We'll meet again in the future
If I put my fingers here, and if I say
"I love you, dear"
And if I play the same three chords
Will you just yawn and say
"Ah, I hate it"
Love songs get repetitive
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
Life is repetitive, not much is new
Alone and bored on a thirtieth-century night
Will I see you on The Price Is Right?
In the future, we may still cross paths
Will I cry? Will I smile?
As you run down the aisle?
I don't know how I'll react
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
Life is repetitive, not much is new
(Woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done
(Woo-woo-woo)
It's all been done before
Life is repetitive, not much is new
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Steven Page
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrJdele
Brings me back to college in 98. The tune and lyrics just does it for me. Never knew why One Week was consider their best single to date I like this one so much better.
@iamshadowbanned699
Pinch Me and this one made me take notice of Barenaked Ladies.
@PinePrince
I graduated from high school that year so it’s so nostalgic for me as well.
@matthewireland24
Because the hoooooooooook brings you baaaaack, and I'm telling you no liiiiiiiiiiiiies!!!! The song is so catchy with it's structure and chorus. And pop culture references may play a role too. That's why it was huge.
@skelter1153
@@matthewireland24
"The Hook"
Also a great and timeless number.
Well said, friend.🤙🏻
@wubalubadubdub5217
One Week hit when rap was taking over everything and getting huge. That's why it was their biggest song. But I agree, they had many songs better.
@LisaGemini
I never get tired of hearing this song. The Barenakeds can harmonize like crazy!
@chrishemmer2486
Lisa Cunningham hallelujah
@SonoftheWars
CSNY vibes.
@lawrencemcstephens308
It's ALWAYS a treat when every member of a band can sing well! Journey, Eagles, Barenaked Ladies, Oak Ridge Boys, Alabama are a few others I always enjoyed the 3-5 part harmonies in!