Mess
Ben Folds and Neil Hannon Lyrics
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Oh, this mess I have made
But then things got complicated
My innocence has all but faded
Oh, this mess I have made
And I don't believe in god
So I can't be saved
In this mess I have made
All the untested virtue
The things I said I'd never do
Least of all to you
I know he's kind and true
I know that he is good to you
He'll never care for you more than I do
But I don't believe in love
And I can't be tamed
All alone as I've learned to be
In this mess
I have made the same mistakes
Over and over again
There are rooms in this house that I don't open anymore
Dusty books of pictures on the floor
That she will never see
She'll never see that part of me
I want to be for her
What I could never be for you
But I don't believe in god
So I can't be saved
All alone as I've learned to be
In this mess I have made
The lyrics of Ben Folds and Neil Hannon's song Mess explore the theme of regret, guilt, and heartbreak. The song begins by acknowledging the singer's own responsibility for a mess in his life. He admits that he has made some poor choices, which have led him to his current situation. The lines "There was a time when I had nothing to explain, But then things got complicated" suggest that the singer's past might have been simpler and uneventful, but now he finds himself in a difficult position.
The singer expresses his pessimism about salvation, admitting that he does not believe in God, and therefore, he cannot be saved. He is all alone, facing the consequences of his actions. He further admits that he has made mistakes over and over again, indicating that he has not learned from his past. The next verse seems to focus on a romantic relationship, where the singer had never thought he could betray his lover, but he did. He knows that the other guy is kind, true, and good to her, but he still wants her. He admits that he does not believe in love and that he cannot be tamed.
The final verse takes a more introspective turn as the singer looks back at his past. He mentions the rooms in his house that he never opens and the dusty books of pictures on the floor that she will never see. This suggests that he might be holding onto past hurt, and it is preventing him from moving forward in his new relationship. He wants to be a better person for his new lover and be someone he could not be for his previous one. However, he again admits that he does not believe in God and that he is alone, facing the consequences of his actions.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time when I had nothing to explain
I used to be carefree and had nothing to justify or explain
Oh, this mess I have made
Referring to the complicated situation I am currently in
But then things got complicated
Things became convoluted and intricate
My innocence has all but faded
I've lost my naivety and pureness
Oh, this mess I have made
Reiteration of how things are complicated and difficult
And I don't believe in god
I don't have faith or belief in a higher power
So I can't be saved
I can't be rescued or redeemed
All alone as I've learned to be
I've become accustomed to being by myself
In this mess I have made
In the intricate and complicated situation I've created
All the untested virtue
The things I've said I would never do or try
The things I said I'd never do
The actions I swore I would never take
Least of all to you
Especially not towards you
I know he's kind and true
I acknowledge that he's a good person
I know that he is good to you
I'm aware that he treats you well
He'll never care for you more than I do
Despite that, he will never love you more than I do
But I don't believe in love
I don't have faith in love or its existence
And I can't be tamed
I cannot be controlled or contained
In this mess I have made the same mistakes
I continue to make the same mistakes in this complicated situation
Over and over again
Repeatedly, without change or improvement
There are rooms in this house that I don't open anymore
I've closed off parts of myself and my past
Dusty books of pictures on the floor
Old, neglected memories lie on the floor
That she will never see
You won't see these parts of me
She'll never see that part of me
You won't see the parts of me that I've hidden away
I want to be for her
I wish to show a different side of myself to her
What I could never be for you
Something I could never be with you
But I don't believe in god
I don't have faith in a higher power
So I can't be saved
I'm accepting of my inability to be saved or redeemed
All alone as I've learned to be
I've become used to being by myself
In this mess I have made
In this complicated and difficult situation that I've created
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BEN FOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind