I Don't Know You Anymore
Bob Mould Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

A thousand pieces of my heart
Swept across a weathered floor
And no idea how to start
Solving puzzles from before
Maybe in time this confusion will fade
But every single error we made
Is right there on display
I don't know you anymore
Name and face have been obscured
Change them if you want but
I don't know you anymore

I play back everything we did
But all the words are out of phase
And so the tape rewinds inside my head
Shedding but it can't be saved
Pushing record when I wanted to play
The message is clear how you pushed me away
It's more than I can take

I don't know you anymore
Name and face have been obscured
Change them if you want but
I don't know you anymore

I had a vision of one last try
What does it mean to me?
All I saw was a tear-stained face
Staring back so silently

I heard a voice travel over the line
Telling me tales filled with riddles and rhymes
That I don't recognize

I don't know you anymore
Name and face have been obscured




Change them if you want but
I don't know you anymore

Overall Meaning

In Bob Mould's song "I Don't Know You Anymore," he laments the end of a relationship as he struggles to understand what went wrong. He speaks of his heart being shattered, of trying to piece together what happened but struggling to do so. He acknowledges that perhaps with time, the confusion will fade, but the mistakes made in the relationship will always be on display. He repeats the simple refrain "I don't know you anymore," emphasizing the sense of loss and disconnection he feels.


The verse that stands out the most in this song is the one where he speaks of having a vision of one last try. He wonders what it means to him and recalls seeing a tear-stained face staring silently back at him. He also speaks of hearing a voice over the line that tells him tales filled with riddles and rhymes that he does not recognize. It suggests that even though he wants to hold on to the relationship, it is slipping through his fingers, and he is unable to grasp the reality of it all.


Overall the song is an honest representation of the confusion, heartbreak, and longing that often follows the end of a relationship. Bob's lyrics are both introspective and relatable, making the song a classic for anyone who has experienced a difficult breakup.


Line by Line Meaning

A thousand pieces of my heart
My emotions are shattered into countless fragments


Swept across a weathered floor
They've been scattered and battered by time and circumstances


And no idea how to start
I don't know where to begin to make sense of it all


Solving puzzles from before
Trying to understand the past and how it led to this moment


Maybe in time this confusion will fade
Perhaps with time, my thoughts and feelings will become clearer


But every single error we made
Every mistake we committed


Is right there on display
Is still visible and present, haunting me


I don't know you anymore
I don't recognize you as the person I once knew


Name and face have been obscured
Your identity is no longer clear to me


Change them if you want but
Even if you try to change who you are


I don't know you anymore
I still won't be able to connect with you


I play back everything we did
I recall every moment we shared


But all the words are out of phase
But the meanings and intentions behind them no longer align


And so the tape rewinds inside my head
The memories keep replaying inside of me


Shedding but it can't be saved
I try to let go, but the memories cannot be undone


Pushing record when I wanted to play
Trying to capture new moments, but finding myself stuck dwelling on the past


The message is clear how you pushed me away
I understand now that you distanced yourself from me


It's more than I can take
It's overwhelming and unbearable


I had a vision of one last try
I had a fleeting hope of reconciling with you


What does it mean to me?
I question the value of pursuing that hope


All I saw was a tear-stained face
The image of your crying face is all that remained in my mind


Staring back so silently
You didn't speak or act, only looked at me in pain


I heard a voice travel over the line
I received a message from you, but it felt distant and disconnected


Telling me tales filled with riddles and rhymes
Your words were confusing and vague


That I don't recognize
I can't see how they relate to who you used to be or who you are now




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROBERT ARTHUR MOULD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Pete Mourilyan

thousand pieces of my heart
Swept across a weathered floor
And no idea how to start
Solving puzzles from before
Maybe in time this confusion will fade
But every single error we made
Is right there on display

I don't know you anymore
Name and face have been obscured
Change them if you want but
I don't know you anymore

I play back everything we did
But all the words are out of phase
And so the tape rewinds inside my head
Shedding but it can't be saved
Pushing record when I wanted to play
The message is clear how you pushed me away
It's more than I can take

I don't know you anymore
Name and face have been obscured
Change them if you want but
I don't know you anymore

I had a vision of one last try
What does it mean to me?
All I saw was a tear-stained face
Staring back so silently

I heard a voice travel over the line
Telling me tales filled with riddles and rhymes
That I don't recognize

I don't know you anymore
Name and face have been obscured
Change them if you want but
I don't know you anymore

Songwriters: Robert Arthur Mould

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All comments from YouTube:

Dave Southwick

Most of my world ceased to make sense years ago, but Bob & his music still do.

Darren Cole

About thirty five years into his career when this was released and Mould still delivering at a very, very high level. Another well crafted pop/rock anthem with all the Mould DNA. Massive guitar, big hook and catchy as fuck with a sing a long chorus. Ticks all the boxes.

Pop Punk Dot Com

How can a music video be better than the music. It can't, right? This makes me wonder.

Jennifer Reyes

Bob is the gold standard. This song is fantastic. Genius songwriter and master musician. Love it.

vangothen girl

Hey Bob! I just listened to your song for the first time! I love it! I was misdiagnosed for almost 9 years. They said I had schizophrenia, then scizo effective disorder, but really its Anxiety. I have had psychotic breakdowns many times also due to insomnia. When I don't sleep, I do hear and see things that aren't there after awhile. The longest I've stayed awake was 2 days. I hope you don't have insomnia or Anxiety. It's not fun, but God doesn't give us more than we can handle. God bless you, Bob. :) ♥

medicinegone

I can't believe how great this entire album is. Great work.

FJM76

Love Bob Mould. A musical hero with his feet firmly on terra firma.

wisteareia

I'm so glad that somebody in the world still makes decent music.

Eric Martinez

Yay, Bob!! Sounds great as ALWAYS!!

scrolllocknumlock

Bob Mould makes my life better ;)

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