Canceled Check
Beck Lyrics


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I hate to do this
But you're a pain in the neck
I thought you knew this
You're handing me a canceled check

You're so helpless
Your girlfriends think you're a saint
I'll give you a quarter
I'll keep my judgments to myself

And I get caught up
In the moonlight
Reaching out for a rotten egg
I don't want to beg
It's crystal clear
Your time is nearly gone

Count your blessings
And do the things that you should
O the has-beens
That never had it so good
Stormy weather
The kids are making a racket
In the wilderness
The wild lives are so mild

And I get caught up
In the moonlight
Reaching out for a rotten egg
I don't wanna beg
It's crystal clear your time is nearly gone

Awe

And I get caught up
In the moonlight




Reaching out for a rotten egg
I don't wanna beg

Overall Meaning

At first glance, "Canceled Check" by Beck may seem like a simple song about frustration with a difficult person. However, if we look deeper into the lyrics, we can see that it is about the struggle of letting go and moving on from a toxic relationship. The opening lines "I hate to do this, but you're a pain in the neck, I thought you knew this, you're handing me a canceled check" suggest that the singer is tired of putting up with this person's behavior and is ready to cut ties. The reference to a canceled check implies that this person has failed to deliver on their promises or commitments.


The next line "You're so helpless, your girlfriends think you're a saint, I'll give you a quarter, I'll keep my judgments to myself" suggests that this person may be manipulative or playing the victim to gain sympathy from others. The singer is not falling for it and is refusing to judge, showing maturity in not stooping to their level.


The chorus "And I get caught up in the moonlight, reaching out for a rotten egg, I don't want to beg, it's crystal clear your time is nearly gone" suggests that the singer is struggling to let go of this person, despite seeing that they are not good for them. The metaphor of reaching out for a rotten egg suggests that they are holding onto something that has already gone bad. The line "it's crystal clear your time is nearly gone" indicates that the singer knows that this person's time in their life is coming to an end.


In the second verse, the lines "count your blessings, and do the things that you should, o the has-beens, that never had it so good" suggest that the singer is urging this person to focus on the good things they have in their life instead of dwelling on the negative. The line "stormy weather, the kids are making a racket in the wilderness, the wild lives are so mild" paints a vivid picture of chaos and unpredictability, hinting at the emotional turmoil of the situation.


Line by Line Meaning

I hate to do this
I don't want to say this


But you're a pain in the neck
But you're very annoying


I thought you knew this
I thought you were aware of this


You're handing me a canceled check
You've disappointed me by letting me down


You're so helpless
You're so weak


Your girlfriends think you're a saint
Your friends believe you're very good


I'll give you a quarter
I'll help you out a little bit


I'll keep my judgments to myself
I won't criticize you out loud


And I get caught up
And sometimes I get swept away


In the moonlight
By the beauty of the night


Reaching out for a rotten egg
Only to be disappointed by what I find


I don't want to beg
I don't want to plead


It's crystal clear
It's obvious


Your time is nearly gone
You don't have much time left


Count your blessings
Be grateful for what you have


And do the things that you should
And do what you're supposed to


O the has-beens
Oh, those who were once great


That never had it so good
Who never really experienced true success


Stormy weather
Difficult times


The kids are making a racket
The children are being loud


In the wilderness
In a wild, untamed place


The wild lives are so mild
The untamed animals are actually gentle


Awe
Expressing a sense of wonder or appreciation




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Beck Hansen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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