I Wanna Get Better
Bleachers and Tinashe Lyrics


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Hey, I hear the voice of a preacher from the back room
Calling my name and I follow just to find you
I trace the faith to a broken down television and put on the weather
And I've trained myself to give up on the past 'cause
I froze in time between hearses and caskets
Lost control when I panicked at the acid test

I wanna get better

While my friends were getting high and chasing girls down parkway lines
I was losing my mind 'cause the love, the love, the love, the love, the love
That I gave wasted on a nice face
In a blaze of fear I put a helmet on a helmet
Counting seconds through the night and got carried away
So now I'm standing on the overpass screaming at the cars,

Hey, I wanna get better!

I didn’t know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better

I go up to my room and there's girls on the ceiling
Cut out their pictures and I chase that feeling
Of an eighteen year old who didn't know what loss was

Now I'm a stranger

And I miss the days of a life still permanent
Mourn the years before I got carried away
So now I'm staring at the interstate screaming at myself,

Hey, I wanna get better!

I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better

Better, 'cause I'm sleeping in the back of a taxi
I'm screaming from my bedroom window
Even if its gonna kill me

Woke up this morning early before my family
From this dream where she was trying to show me
How a life can move from the darkness
She said to get better

So I put a bullet where I shoulda put a helmet
And I crash my car 'cause I wanna get carried away
That's why I'm standing on the overpass screaming at myself

Hey, I wanna get better!

I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better
I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change




I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I wanna get better

Overall Meaning

The song "I Wanna Get Better" by Bleachers is about the desire to improve oneself and move on from past mistakes and heartbreaks. The opening lines describe a preacher's voice calling out and leading the singer to search for someone they miss. The reference to the broken down television and watching the weather is a metaphor for trying to find guidance and direction in life. The lines "And I've trained myself to give up on the past/cause I froze in time between hearses and caskets" suggests that the singer has experienced some kind of trauma or loss that has emotionally held them back.


The next verse references the singer's youth, and how they felt lonely and lost as they watched their peers engage in typical teenage behavior. The lines "Counting seconds through the night and got carried away/ So now I'm standing on the overpass screaming at the cars" evoke a sense of desperation that the singer is expressing. They want to be better and move on from their past mistakes, but feel stuck and frustrated with themselves.


The final verse introduces a dream sequence featuring a woman who shows the singer the possibility of a brighter future. The lines "So I put a bullet where I shoulda put a helmet/And I crash my car 'cause I wanna get carried away" are a metaphor for taking risks and being willing to make mistakes in order to pursue personal growth. The song ends with the singer once again standing on the overpass, shouting out their desire to get better.


Overall, "I Wanna Get Better" showcases Bleachers' signature synthpop sound and captures the feeling of longing to overcome past pain and move forward with new hope.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey, I hear the voice of a preacher from the back room
I hear a voice calling me and I follow it to find you.


Calling my name and I follow just to find you
A voice is calling my name, leading me to find you.


I trace the faith to a broken down television and put on the weather
I found faith in a broken TV and watched the weather.


And I've trained myself to give up on the past 'cause
I learned to let go of the past because it was holding me back.


I froze in time between hearses and caskets
I was stunned and unable to move during funerals.


Lost control when I panicked at the acid test
I panicked and lost control during a difficult experience.


While my friends were getting high and chasing girls down parkway lines
My friends were doing drugs and pursuing women.


I was losing my mind 'cause the love, the love, the love, the love, the love
I was going crazy because the love I gave was wasted.


That I gave wasted on a nice face
I gave my love to someone who was only attractive.


In a blaze of fear I put a helmet on a helmet
I became overly cautious and protective, even wearing two helmets.


Counting seconds through the night and got carried away
I stayed up all night and got caught up in my thoughts.


So now I'm standing on the overpass screaming at the cars,
I'm standing on a bridge yelling at passing cars.


Hey, I wanna get better!
I want to improve myself!


I didn’t know I was lonely 'til I saw your face
I didn't know I was lonely until I met you.


I go up to my room and there's girls on the ceiling
There are posters of women on my bedroom ceiling.


Cut out their pictures and I chase that feeling
I cut out their pictures and chase the feeling of being with them.


Of an eighteen year old who didn't know what loss was
I remember myself at eighteen, not yet knowing the pain of loss.


And I miss the days of a life still permanent
I miss the days when life felt unchanging and predictable.


Mourn the years before I got carried away
I grieve for the years before I became overwhelmed.


So now I'm staring at the interstate screaming at myself,
I'm standing by the highway screaming at myself.


Better, 'cause I'm sleeping in the back of a taxi
I want to improve because I'm currently sleeping in a taxi.


Woke up this morning early before my family
I was up early before my family woke.


From this dream where she was trying to show me
I had a dream where someone tried to show me something important.


How a life can move from the darkness
The dream showed me how a life can change for the better.


So I put a bullet where I shoulda put a helmet
I made a mistake by using a gun instead of protecting myself with a helmet.


And I crash my car 'cause I wanna get carried away
I intentionally crashed my car to escape from my problems.


Hey, I wanna get better!
I want to improve myself!


I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change
I didn't realize I needed to change until I saw that I was broken.


I wanna get better, better, better, better,
I want to continuously improve!




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JACK ANTONOFF, JOHN HILL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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