Put It On Me
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals Lyrics

She eats nectarines with honey
She indulges in the sweetness of life

Spends her daddy's money so easy
She lives an easy life, spending her father's wealth effortlessly

She cuts cherry pie
She appears innocent and demure while engaged in something that causes pain or destruction

While she looks you in the eye
She is brazen and confrontational, facing things head-on

The innocent naive of
Referring to someone who though innocent, lacks experience or understanding

Hairless cheek
A reference to someone young or vulnerable

The politics of generosity
The act of giving can be seen as attempting to buy someone's affections

Make me weak
This behavior can be seductive and cause someone's morals to weaken

There's an assassin out to get me
Someone is out to harm the artist

And they claim that
There are accusations against a specific person

She's never missed
The assumption that someone has never failed before

The one with an ex-lover
The person being discussed has had romantic relationships in the past

Whom she claims
Someone is questioning the authenticity of the person's words

To have never kissed
The person is denying having any romantic involvement with the other party

We turned at twenty paces
Two people appear to be standing their ground, facing each other in a duel-like situation

For love is a duel
Love can be a battle or contest between two people

And we stood still as stone
Both parties are resolute and not willing to give in

I can't imagine that
The singer is having trouble understanding why someone would want to harm them

This is in the best interest
The singer doesn't believe that this situation is good for anyone involved

Of flesh and bone
Humans are vulnerable and can be physically hurt as a result of actions taken against them

I've been living in the city
The artist has been living a city lifestyle

For much too long
Being in the city has lasted longer than desired

There's a neon sign in my mind
The singer has conflicting thoughts or desires

Flashing right and wrong
These thoughts involve moral decisions

I can't afford your company
The singer cannot afford to be around people who are not good for them

I spent my money buying time
The singer has spent resources on things that aren't helpful or useful to them

I was lost out in the desert while
The singer was going through a difficult time

You were busy swimming in wine
Others around the artist seem to be enjoying life much more than they are

You put it on me
Someone has made the artist feel responsible for a situation they are in

Then left me lonely
That same person has left the singer feeling unsupported and alone