The BoDeans worked with T-Bone Burnett on their debut album, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, which appeared in 1986 to warm reviews. They recruited another big-name producer, Talking Head Jerry Harrison, to helm 1987's Outside Looking In, which found the band reduced to a trio after the departure of Hoffman. Outside Looking In broke into the Billboard Top 100, and the BoDeans grew their audience by touring alongside U2, appearing on Robbie Robertson's self-titled solo album, and receiving the honor of Best New Band by Rolling Stone magazine. By the time they released their third album, Home, in 1989, keyboardist Michael Ramos and drummer Danny Gayol had joined. This lineup stayed intact for the release of 1991's Black and White, but the BoDeans went without a drummer once again on their next recording, Go Slow Down.
Following the release of a double-disc live album, Joe Dirt Car, the band returned in 1996 with Blend. Around the time of Blend's release, "Closer to Free" -- a song that had originally appeared on 1993's Go Slow Down -- became a hit, due in large part to its exposure as the theme song for the TV show Party of Five. "Closer to Free" eventually cracked the Top 20, becoming the most successful single of the band's career. The BoDeans were arguably more popular than ever, but the band took a break during the late '90s, with both frontmen devoting time to their solo careers.
By 2004, the band had reconvened and signed with a new label, Zoe. Resolution was released that year, followed in 2005 by Homebrewed: Live from the Pabst. Griffin left the group in 2006 and was replaced by Eric Holden, who appeared on 2008's Still. By this point, the bandmates had found a new home on 429 Records, and they remained with that label for the release of Mr. Sad Clown in 2010 and Indigo Dreams in 2011. That same year saw the departure of Llanas, citing "differences of opinion." The band's 11th studio album, American Made, arrived the following year on the band's own Free & Alive label, and was the first with Neumann as sole leader. The BoDeans toured extensively in support of the release, and in 2014 began work on their next studio project. Released in 2015, I Cant Stop featured a new BoDeans lineup anchored by Neumann, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Hawksley, bassist Eric Holden, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, the latter a well-respected journeyman musician who had played on several BoDeans recording sessions in the '90s. In June 2016, the BoDeans brought out a single, "My Hometown," with the release benefiting the Milwaukee County Historical Society. The single was a preview of the group's next album; titled Thirteen, the 11-song set was released in April 2017.
Something's Telling Me
BoDeans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way that you're kissing me is not quite the way that you kissed me before
You keep on telling me it's my imagination
But I think your heart's been taking a vacation
Something's telling me
Something's telling me
Something's telling me that you'll soon be walking out that door
And buy myself some cigarettes. Do you want a pack?"
And I won't see you anymore. That, my friend, is that
Something's telling me
Something's telling me
Yeah, something's coming on to me
Something's telling me all about it now
You don't really want me
Something's telling me
Something's telling me
Something's telling me that there's gotta be more than this
There's gotta be more to the whole damn thing than just a hug and a kiss
Someday I'm going to find it, then I'll really know
But if you're gonna leave, then I think you'd better go
Something's telling me
Something's telling me
Something's telling me
Something's telling me
Something's telling me that we're not in love anymore
Something's telling me that we're not in love anymore
In BoDeans’s exploration of a dissolving relationship, the lyrics of Something’s Telling Me delves into the nuance of the end of love. The singer begins by suggesting that their partner’s behaviors suggest that they are no longer in love. The way they kiss is different, and the singer feels as though their heart is on “vacation,” or simply disengaged from the relationship. However, the partner denies these claims, leaving the singer uncertain and feeling as though the end is near. The certainty that something is dissipating becomes clear as the singer suggests their partner will leave suddenly, with a flimsy excuse to pick up cigarettes, and never return. The final verses find the singer questioning what love even means, and how they will know if they find it. The repeated line “Something’s telling me” almost serves as a chorus, pointing to the internal sense that the relationship is dissolving, even if the singer cannot yet put their finger on what the problem is.
In these lyrics, BoDeans explores themes of uncertainty, mistrust and growing apart. The song’s catchy melody and relatable lyrics have made it one of the more popular tracks in the band’s discography, and the group’s live performances have earned high praise for their energy and charisma. But what else is there to know about Something's Telling Me?
Line by Line Meaning
Something's telling me that we're not in love anymore
I have a feeling that our love is fading away
The way that you're kissing me is not quite the way that you kissed me before
Your kisses are not as passionate as they used to be
You keep on telling me it's my imagination
You deny my observations as my imagination
But I think your heart's been taking a vacation
I believe you have lost affection for me
Something's telling me
My intuition is warning me
Something's telling me that you'll soon be walking out that door
I sense that you will soon leave me
You'll probably say something stupid like, "I gotta go down to the store
You are likely to make a silly excuse like needing to buy cigarettes
And buy myself some cigarettes. Do you want a pack?"
You may ask if I need cigarettes too
And I won't see you anymore. That, my friend, is that
This could be our final goodbye
Yeah, something's coming on to me
I am sensing some impending event or change
Something's telling me all about it now
My instincts are giving me clear indications
You don't really want me
I am starting to realize that you don't feel the same for me
Something's telling me
My gut feeling is warning me
Something's telling me that there's gotta be more than this
I believe that there should be deeper meaning in our relationship
There's gotta be more to the whole damn thing than just a hug and a kiss
Our love should be more profound than just physical intimacy
Someday I'm going to find it, then I'll really know
Eventually, I will discover the truth about our love
But if you're gonna leave, then I think you'd better go
If you are truly planning on leaving me, then I suggest you should go
Something's telling me
My intuition is cautioning me
Something's telling me
My instincts are warning me
Something's telling me that we're not in love anymore
I have a strong premonition that our love is coming to an end
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.