FOR THE PRICE OF A CUP OF TEA
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

For the price of a cup of tea
You'd get a line of coke
For the price of a night with me
You'd be the village joke
For the price of a pint of milk
I'll tell you all I know
About the state of the world today
Sit down, enjoy the show

She had several hours to find a place to stay
Try the coffee shop, but somewhere on the way
She heard about a place, somewhere she could go
Walked a couple of blocks to her destination

For the price of a cup of tea
You'd get a seven inches
Soul black vinyl to stop your tears
You can use my stereo
You might be the village joke but
Don't listen to the gossip of the other folk

She just wants to be accepted in this place
There's something in her face
She will always seem exotic and aloof
If you want to know the truth
Her friend the stars dripping from the jewelled sky
When she was passing by
Would keep her calm
There was people that she knew, at least she thought she did
Be easy on the kid!

She took her winter coat from her plastic wrapper




Pushed back her fringe, see her birthmark
She can finally be the person she wanted to be

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Belle and Sebastian's song "For the Price of a Cup of Tea" narrates a series of deals that the singer could make with someone for various prices. He lists some of the dark components of the modern world along with some of the things people might trade for, like a cup of tea, a night, or a pint of milk. The singer is conveying the idea that different moments in life are incredibly valuable and others can do with them as they like. The use of the enticement of a line of coke demonstrates that people can take the risk of bad things for the smallest things, while others can be used by others to achieve personal goals. The suggestion that people would joke at someone else's expense is a sobering reminder that even the simplest exchanges have social ramifications. The first verse serves as a reflection on the balance of power in relationships and how sometimes even small things can turn that balance.


The second verse of the song focuses on an unknown woman who is trying to find a place to stay. It is not clear why she has nowhere to go, but she's looking for a place to fit in. The verse uses a lot of descriptive language to give us clues about the woman and the people around her. She walks a couple of blocks to her destination, pushing back her fringe and finally feeling like the person she's long wanted to be. Belle and Sebastian make use of the people and places around the woman to create context and a sense of the larger world around her. This verse is about the desire for belonging and acceptance and the power of personal transformation.


Line by Line Meaning

For the price of a cup of tea
If you pay a small amount, you can get something valuable.


You'd get a line of coke
You can easily buy drugs for cheap.


For the price of a night with me
Having a relationship with me is not valuable, and might even hurt your reputation.


You'd be the village joke
People in the community would ridicule you if you associate with me.


For the price of a pint of milk
You can learn about the state of the world from me for very little cost.


I'll tell you all I know
I have knowledge that I am willing to share with you.


About the state of the world today
I can educate you about the current state of global affairs.


Sit down, enjoy the show
Relax and learn from me.


You'd get a seven inches
You can buy a 7 inch vinyl record for the price of a cup of tea.


Soul black vinyl to stop your tears
The music on the record can help you forget your troubles.


You can use my stereo
I am willing to share my music with you.


You might be the village joke but
People might make fun of you for listening to certain types of music.


Don't listen to the gossip of the other folk
Ignore what other people say and pursue what you love.


She had several hours to find a place to stay
She had limited time to secure housing.


Try the coffee shop, but somewhere on the way
She attempted to find lodging but was distracted on her journey.


She heard about a place, somewhere she could go
She learned of a potential location for shelter.


Walked a couple of blocks to her destination
She walked a short distance to find her potential housing.


She just wants to be accepted in this place
She desires to be welcomed in her new environment.


There's something in her face
She has a distinct appearance that sets her apart.


She will always seem exotic and aloof
Due to her unique looks and personality, she may seem distant from others.


If you want to know the truth
If you want to learn about her, ask her directly.


Her friend the stars dripping from the jewelled sky
The stars in the sky were a comfort to her.


When she was passing by
When she was walking through the area.


Would keep her calm
The starry night sky had a soothing effect on her.


There was people that she knew, at least she thought she did
She had some acquaintances in the area, or at least thought she did.


Be easy on the kid!
Don't be too hard on her, she's going through a tough time.


She took her winter coat from her plastic wrapper
She retrieved her winter coat from its protective covering.


Pushed back her fringe, see her birthmark
She adjusted her hair to reveal her unique birthmark.


She can finally be the person she wanted to be
She is now able to express herself as she desires.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB KILDEA, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, MICHAEL COOKE, RICHARD COLBURN, SARAH MARTIN, STEPHEN JACKSON, STUART MURDOCH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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