"Guess I'm Doing Fine" was written by Beck, and like almost every other song on Sea Change, talks about his struggles with the recent break-up with someone he loved. It is often misinterpreted as a song about the death of one of his loved ones, because of the title, and these lines:
"Yellow roses in the graveyard,
Have no time to watch them grow."
The video was directed by Spike Jonze, and produced by Emma Wilcockson. It shows Beck playing a guitar, and walking around many places. In one moment, he doesn't hold a guitar, but due to special effects (fishing line), the guitar begins to follow him. He walks to a tree with his guitar, and sits down. Eventually, a soccer ball hits him while he's sitting, and the person who accidentally rolled the ball on the ground to hit him, asks "What are you doing?" (Closed captioning is now on), while Beck answers, "Oh..um.., we're shooting a video for a song I wrote". The soccer player says "What's the song about?", and Beck replies "Oh man, It's a long story". Then, the closed captioning ends, while Beck tells the person about the song. He begins to play soccer with the soccer player and "the crew", but he leaves after a few minutes, and he begins walking with his guitar on.
The song mostly gained quite positive reviews from critics. Rolling Stone magazine said "Guess I'm Doing Fine" was one of the highlights of Sea Change and one of the songs that made it one of Beck's better albums. Later, in the album's review, the magazine said it was his best album yet. 1 E! Online also gave the song a positive review, saying it was one of the highlights, and also added that the song got even better with repeated play, and that it grew on the listener.
Guess I'm Doing Fine
Beck Lyrics
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I can't hear the songs he sings
All the jewels in heaven
They don't look the same to me
I just wade the tides that turned
'Til I learn to leave the past behind
It's only lies that I'm living
It's only tears that I'm crying
It's only you that I'm losing
Guess I'm doing fine
All the battlements are empty
And the moon is laying low
Yellow roses in the graveyard
Got no time to watch them grow
Now I bade a friend farewell
I can do whatever pleases me
It's only lies that I'm living
It's only tears that I'm crying
It's only you that I'm losing
Guess I'm doing fine
Press my face up to the window
To see how warm it is inside
See the things that I've been missing
Missing all this time
It's only lies that I'm living
It's only tears that I'm crying
It's only you that I'm losing
Guess I'm doing fine
Guess I'm doing fine
Beck's song "Guess I'm Doing Fine" is a poignant and introspective ballad that reflects on the painful process of moving on from a past relationship. The lyrics describe the singer's struggle to come to terms with their feelings of loss and regret, as they try to find a way to move forward and find peace.
The blue bird at the window represents the beauty and joy that can be found in the present moment, but which the singer is unable to fully appreciate due to their emotional pain. The jewels in heaven represent the idealized vision of happiness and perfection that the singer once held, but which now seems hollow and false.
The singer reflects on their past mistakes and the "tides that turned" in their life, acknowledging the need to let go of the past and move on. However, they still feel the pain of loss and the weight of their mistakes. They acknowledge that they are living a lie, pretending to be okay when in reality they are struggling to come to terms with their emotions.
The song ends with the singer looking through a window at the warmth and joy they see inside, realizing all the things they have been missing out on. The final lines suggest a sense of acceptance and resignation, as they acknowledge the reality of their situation but remain determined to push forward.
Overall, "Guess I'm Doing Fine" is a powerful and moving exploration of the human experience of loss, regret and healing. It captures the complexity and nuance of these emotions, offering a profound reflection on the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a blue bird at my window
There is a bird perched on my window sill
I can't hear the songs he sings
I don't feel like listening to the bird's song
All the jewels in heaven
Everything that I have ever wanted is now meaningless to me
They don't look the same to me
Nothing looks as good as it used to
I just wade the tides that turned
I move with the changes in life
Till I learn to leave the past behind
Until I can let go of what has happened before
It's only lies that I'm living
My life is filled with falsehoods
It's only tears that I'm crying
I only cry tears—not blood, not sweat
It's only you that I'm losing
I'm only losing you, no one else
Guess I'm doing fine
I'm probably doing well—or, well enough
All the battlements are empty
The walls that once protected me are no longer there
And the moon is laying low
The moon seems to be low on the horizon
Yellow roses in the graveyard
There are yellow flowers in the cemetery
Got no time to watch them grow
I don't have enough time to observe everything that happens around me
Now I bade a friend farewell
I just said goodbye to a friend
I can do whatever pleases me
I have the freedom to do whatever makes me feel good
Press my face up to the window
I put my face close to the glass of a window
To see how warm it is inside
To see how comfortable and happy others are
See the things that I've been missing
I realize that I have missed out on many things
Missing all this time
I have been without and unaware of these things for far too long
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Beck Hansen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind