Password
Ben Folds;Nick Hornby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You think I don't but I do
I've been listening and I don't forget so I can do this
I can pass the test
You went to school in Chicago
Your mom's maiden name is Dupree
Your favorite actor is DeNiro
Your birthday's 03/08/83
C-H-I-C-A-G-O
D-U-P-R-E-E
D-E-N-I-R-O
I know you
You think it's weird but it's not
You're all looking at it all upside down
It actually means I really love you
You used have a dog called Montey
You only drink chardonnay
Your sister's pet name is CeeCee
You have a thing for David Blaine
M-O-N-T-E-Y
C-H-A-R-D-O-N-N-A-Y
C-E-E-C-E-E
And I know you
I know you
You think I'm blind but I'm not
I've been watching and what I've noticed is distraction,
Boredom and vacancy
I know your favorite dish (P-R-I-M-A V-E-R-A)
I know your favorite band (Polyphonic S-P-R-E-E)
You spent a year in Barcelona (B-A-R-C-E-L-O-N-A)
That asshole's name was Anthony
Turns out you never went to T-U-L-S-A
To see your old roommate J-A-N-E
I think my middle name is S-U-C-K-E-R
And I was born yesterday
I don't know you
I thought I did but I don't
I wasn't listening, not to the right things
One day I won't even remember your face
In "Password," Ben Folds and Nick Hornby capture the quirky way that love can make you feel like you know everything about someone. The song is about a person who is in love with someone else, and they feel like they know every intimate detail about their lover’s life. The song is a reminder that we often pay attention to the little things that people say or do, and that can tell us a lot about who they are. In this case, the singer of the song uses this knowledge to pass the test of the titular "password," but ultimately realizes that knowing these facts doesn't mean they truly know the person or will remember them forever.
Throughout the song, the lyrics are fun and playful, with a touch of vulnerability. The singer takes pride in their knowledge of the little details about their lover's life, using them to show that they are paying attention and, ultimately, trying to impress them. But the final line of the song reveals that even if we think we know someone intimately, it is easy to forget or lose track of them. The message is that true closeness requires more than just knowledge of someone's personal trivia, and that it takes effort, attention, and understanding to really know and remember someone.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you
The singer has information about the person being addressed
You think I don't but I do
The person thinks that the singer does not have information but they do
I've been listening and I don't forget so I can do this
The singer has been paying attention and they have the ability to pass the test
I can pass the test
The artist is confident in their ability to succeed in whatever test is being referred to
You went to school in Chicago
The person went to school in Chicago
Your mom's maiden name is Dupree
The person's mother's maiden name is Dupree
Your favorite actor is DeNiro
The person's favorite actor is DeNiro
Your birthday's 03/08/83
The person's birthday is on March 8th, 1983
M-O-N-T-E-Y
The name of the person's dog is Montey
C-H-A-R-D-O-N-N-A-Y
The person only drinks chardonnay
C-E-E-C-E-E
The person's sister's pet name is CeeCee
I know you
The artist still has information about the person being addressed
You think it's weird but it's not
The person thinks something is weird but the singer disagrees
You're all looking at it all upside down
The person is not understanding something correctly
It actually means I really love you
The singer is expressing love for the person being addressed
M-O-N-T-E-Y
The person had a dog named Montey
C-H-A-R-D-O-N-N-A-Y
The person only drinks chardonnay
C-E-E-C-E-E
The person's sister's pet name is CeeCee
I know you
The singer still has information about the person being addressed
You think I'm blind but I'm not
The person thinks the artist does not have information but they do
I've been watching and what I've noticed is distraction,
Boredom and vacancy
The artist has been observing and has noticed that the person is distracted, bored, and vacant
I know your favorite dish (P-R-I-M-A V-E-R-A)
The person's favorite dish is primavera
I know your favorite band (Polyphonic S-P-R-E-E)
The person's favorite band is Polyphonic Spree
You spent a year in Barcelona (B-A-R-C-E-L-O-N-A)
The person spent a year in Barcelona
That asshole's name was Anthony
The name of the person who did something negative is Anthony
Turns out you never went to T-U-L-S-A
To see your old roommate J-A-N-E
The person did not actually visit Tulsa to see their old roommate Jane
I think my middle name is S-U-C-K-E-R
The singer feels foolish for believing everything the person said
And I was born yesterday
The artist is emphasizing their gullibility
I don't know you
The artist no longer has any meaningful information about the person
I thought I did but I don't
The singer realizes that they were mistaken about knowing the person
I wasn't listening, not to the right things
The singer was not actively listening to the relevant information about the person
One day I won't even remember your face
The artist will eventually forget all about the person
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BEN FOLDS, BENJAMIN SCOTT FOLDS, NICHOLAS PETER JOHN HORNBY, NICK HORNBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind