She appeared in the September edition of Now! Magazine. She also appeared on the LOLA 2007 line-up, using her lush instrumental back-ups to accompany her reedy voice. Her first album has been hailed in the Exclaim! monthly newspaper and on several online publications.
Basia was nominated in 2010 for a Polaris Music Prize and nominated in 2011 for a Juno in the Best New Artist category.
Why Can't It Be Mine
Basia Bulat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you spin around in my hat
turned the lights on
and we settled down and you said
feeling as far
but it always does in the end
just close your eyes
hold your breath and then
I wanna believe you
you know that I try
it's just the way that you look sometimes
oh it's been hard on me
it's only a feeling
but after all this time
why can't it be mine?
do do do do
oh oh oh
la da da dada da dada
And you
made up your mind
god, I'll ask you things
one little thing
and I'll forget everything
just one last time
before we go astray
reach across the space tonight to me
and I will believe you
you know I will try
it's just the way that you look sometimes
it's been hard on me
it's only a feeling but after all this time
why can't it be mine
do do do do
oh oh oh
la dada da dada da da dada
do do
oh oh ohoh
why can't it be mine
oh oh ohoh
why can't it be mine
oh oh ohoh
why can't it be mine
The lyrics of Basia Bulat's Why Can't It Be Mine convey a sense of longing and yearning for something that is out of reach. The singer is reflecting on a recent experience where they saw the person they desire, who appears to be distant and unattainable. Despite this, the singer hopes that they can believe in this person, and that perhaps there is a chance for them to be together. The repetition of the phrase "why can't it be mine" reinforces the sense of frustration and desire.
The lyrics also contain the idea of holding onto hope despite uncertainty. The lines "feeling as far but it always does in the end" and "just one last time before we go astray" suggest that the singer is aware of the challenges they may face, yet still wants to hold onto the possibility of a relationship. The repetition of "do do do do" and "oh oh oh" throughout the song creates a dreamlike quality that accentuates the sense of longing and desire.
Overall, the lyrics of Why Can't It Be Mine capture the complex emotions of desire, hope, and uncertainty. The singer is caught in a state of wanting something that may be unattainable, yet remains committed to trying to make it happen.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night I saw
The singer is reflecting on something that happened the previous night
you spin around in my hat
The singer had a vision of the person they desire being playful with their belongings
turned the lights on
The vision brightened up the singer's emotional state
and we settled down and you said
The vision was calming and led to a meaningful conversation
feeling as far
The desired person feels distant to the artist
but it always does in the end
The singer knows that feelings can change over time
just close your eyes
The singer is comforting themselves with the thought of the desired person
hold your breath and then
The artist is preparing themselves for an emotional experience
I wanna believe you
The artist desires to trust the desired person
you know that I try
The artist acknowledges their effort to trust the desired person
it's just the way that you look sometimes
The desired person's appearance can be misleading in terms of their feelings towards the singer
oh it's been hard on me
The artist is struggling emotionally
it's only a feeling
The singer recognizes that their desire for the other person is just a feeling
but after all this time
The singer has been longing for the desired person for a significant period of time
why can't it be mine?
The singer questions why their desire for the other person cannot be reciprocated
And you
The artist addresses the desired person
made up your mind
The desired person has made a decision about their feelings towards the artist
god, I'll ask you things
The singer pleads to a higher power for help with their emotional distress
one little thing
The singer only needs one small thing from the desired person to feel comforted
and I'll forget everything
The artist will let go of all the negative emotions if they get what they desire from the other person
just one last time
The artist hopes for one last chance to connect with the other person
before we go astray
The artist fears losing the connection with the desired person
reach across the space tonight to me
The singer hopes the other person will make an effort to bridge the emotional distance between them
and I will believe you
The artist is willing to trust the other person if they make an effort
you know I will try
The singer is committed to putting in effort towards building a connection with the other person
la dada da dada da da dada
Nonsensical syllables, not significant to the song's meaning
why can't it be mine
The singer repeats the question as they continue to hope for a change in the desired person's feelings towards them
Contributed by Julian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.