Peeping Tom
Bill Lloyd; Placebo Lyrics

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I'm careful not to fall
I have to climb your wall
'Cause you're the one
Who makes me feel much taller than you are
I'm just a peeping tom
On my own for far too long
Problems with the booze
Nothing left to lose

I'm weightless, I'm bare
I'm faithless, I'm scared

The face that fills the hole
That stole my broken soul
The one that makes me seem to feel much taller than you are
I'm just a peeping tom
On my own for far too long
Troubles with the gear
Nothing left to fear

I'm weightless, I'm bare
I'm faithless, I'm scared
I'm weightless, I'm bare
I'm faithless, I'm scared

With every bet I lost
And every trick I tossed
You're still the one who makes me feel much taller than you are
I'm just a peeping tom
On my own for far too long
Problems with the booze
Nothing left to lose

I'm weightless, I'm bare
I'm faithless, I'm scared
I'm weightless, I'm bare
I'm faithless, I'm scared
I'm weightless, I'm bare
I'm faithless, I'm scared
I'm scared
I'm scared

I'm scared
I'm scared

Overall Meaning

"Peeping Tom" is a song by Placebo, featured on their 2000 album "Black Market Music." The song is about a person who is lonely and has a problem with alcohol and is trying to escape their own reality through voyeurism. The song's protagonist is insecure and feels small, but fixates on the object of their desire, someone who makes them feel taller and more powerful.

The lyrics of the chorus make it clear that the singer is deeply fearful and uncertain. The line "I'm weightless, I'm bare, I'm faithless, I'm scared" underlines the singer's vulnerability, revealing their lack of self-esteem and conviction, and the repetition of the phrase "I'm scared" throughout the song emphasizes their sense of dread.

The song has a melancholy tone, with sparse instrumentation and a slow, deliberate pace that compliments the lyrics perfectly. It is a haunting meditation on the loneliness and desperation that can drive people to unsavory behaviors, and a cautionary tale about the perils of trying to escape one's own problems by fixating on others.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm careful not to fall
I'm being cautious so that I don't fail or get hurt.

I have to climb your wall
I need to overcome a barrier or obstacle to get to you.

'Cause you're the one
Because you are the person who affects me the most.

Who makes me feel much taller than you are
You make me feel more confident and better about myself than I really am.

I'm just a peeping tom
I'm someone who watches or observes others from a distance.

On my own for far too long
I've been alone and isolated for a long time.

Problems with the booze
I have issues with alcohol.

Nothing left to lose
I have lost everything and have nothing else to lose.

I'm weightless, I'm bare
I feel empty and insignificant.

I'm faithless, I'm scared
I'm lacking in trust and feeling frightened.

The face that fills the hole
Your presence completes me and fills the emptiness inside me.

That stole my broken soul
You took my damaged and shattered spirit.

Troubles with the gear
I have problems with my equipment or tools.

Nothing left to fear
I'm not afraid anymore.

With every bet I lost
With each failure or risk I took and lost.

And every trick I tossed
And every scheme or plan that failed.

You're still the one who makes me feel much taller than you are
You are still the person who boosts my confidence and self-esteem when I'm around you.

I'm scared
I'm feeling afraid, nervous, or frightened.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WILLIAM LLOYD, BRIAN MOLKO, STEFAN OLSDAL, STEVEN HEWITT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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