Perfume
Britney Spears Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do I imagine it, or do I see your stare
Is there still longing there?
Oh I hate myself, and I feel crazy
Such a classic tale
Current girl friend, ex girlfriend, I'm trying to be cool
Am I being paranoid, am I seeing things?
Am I just insecure?
I want to believe
It's just you and me
Sometimes it feels like there's three
Of us in here baby

So I, wait for you to call
And I try to act natural
Have you been thinking 'bout her about me
And while I wait
I put on my perfume, yeah I want it all over you
I'm gonna mark my territory

I'll never tell, tell on myself but I hope she smells my perfume
I'll never tell, tell on myself but I hope she smells my perfume
I hide it well, hope you can tell but I hope she smells my perfume
I hide it well, hope you can tell but I hope she smells my perfume

I wanna fill the room, when she's in it with you
Please don't forget me
Do I imagine it, or catch these moments
I know you got history

But I'm your girlfriend, now I'm your girlfriend
Trying to be cool
I hope I'm paranoid, that I'm just seeing things
That I'm just insecure

I want to believe
It's just you and me
Sometimes it feels like there's three
Of us in here baby

So I, wait for you to call
And I try to act natural
Have you been thinking 'bout her, about me
And while I wait
I put on my perfume, yeah I want it all over you
I'm gonna mark my territory

So I, wait for you to call
And I try to act natural
Have you been thinking 'bout her, about me
And while I wait
I put on my perfume, yeah I want it all over you
I'm gonna mark my territory

I'll never tell, tell on myself but I hope she smells my perfume
I'll never tell, tell on myself but I hope she smells my perfume




I hide it well, hope you can tell but I hope she smells my perfume
I hide it well, hope you can tell but I hope she smells my perfume

Overall Meaning

The song "Perfume" by Britney Spears is a reflection of the insecurity and jealousy that arises in a relationship with a shared history. The lyrics depict the singer feeling like a third wheel in her own relationship, constantly suspicious of her partner's continued feelings for his ex-girlfriend. Britney questions whether her paranoia and insecurities are valid, but at the same time, she wants to mark her territory by wearing her perfume to remind him of her, hoping that he won't forget about her.


The use of perfume as a symbol is interesting as it represents the singer's desire to be present in her partner's mind even when she is not physically there. The song's chorus repeats phrases like "I hope she smells my perfume," and "I'm gonna mark my territory" to emphasize the idea of wanting to possess her partner completely.


Some of the other interesting lyrical choices in the song include the use of the line "I hate myself, and I feel crazy," which is a common sentiment that people in relationships can relate to when they are feeling insecure. The line "Sometimes it feels like there's three of us in here baby" further emphasizes the singer's feelings of insecurity and suspicion regarding her partner's ex-girlfriend.


Overall, the song is an emotional journey of someone seeking reassurance in a relationship on the verge of falling apart due to lingering resentment and jealousy.


Line by Line Meaning

Do I imagine it, or do I see your stare
I'm not sure if it's my imagination or if you're really looking at me.


Is there still longing there?
Is there still a spark of desire between us?


Oh I hate myself, and I feel crazy
I'm so frustrated with myself and my thoughts.


Such a classic tale
This story of jealousy and insecurity is one that's been told many times before.


Current girl friend, ex girlfriend, I'm trying to be cool
I'm your current girlfriend, but I know there's still something between you and your ex. I'm trying to play it cool.


Am I being paranoid, am I seeing things?
Am I overthinking this? Am I imagining things that aren't really there?


Am I just insecure?
Or is my insecurity causing me to doubt our relationship?


I want to believe It's just you and me Sometimes it feels like there's three Of us in here baby
I want to believe that we have a strong, exclusive relationship, but sometimes it feels like there's another person (your ex) between us.


So I, wait for you to call And I try to act natural Have you been thinking 'bout her about me And while I wait I put on my perfume, yeah I want it all over you I'm gonna mark my territory
As I wait for your call, I try to act like everything is fine. But I can't help but wonder if you're thinking about your ex or me. So I put on my perfume, hoping that it will leave a lasting impression on you and remind you that I'm here.


I'll never tell, tell on myself but I hope she smells my perfume I hide it well, hope you can tell but I hope she smells my perfume
I won't reveal my insecurities and jealousy to you, but I hope that your ex can smell my perfume and know that you're mine now.


I wanna fill the room, when she's in it with you Please don't forget me
I want to have a presence in your life even when you're with your ex. Please don't forget that I'm here and that I love you.


Do I imagine it, or catch these moments I know you got history
Sometimes I think I see signs that you still have feelings for your ex. I know you have a past together that I'll never fully understand.


But I'm your girlfriend, now I'm your girlfriend Trying to be cool I hope I'm paranoid, that I'm just seeing things That I'm just insecure
I am your girlfriend now and I want to be confident in our relationship. I hope that my doubts and fears are unfounded and that I can just relax and enjoy being with you.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ONErpm, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Britney Spears, Chris Braide, Sia Furler

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@lauren.g5382

Why can’t Britney sing like this all the time?? She has such a beautiful voice

@mic-shellcrackson3800

She is forced to sing like a baby

@puppy9515

@@mic-shellcrackson3800 ugh!!!! so true and sad cuz her voice is so beautiful.

@user-sm2ll

She has a deeper powerful voice

@Peterrdee

Also during this time Myah Marie sang in most of her songs

@elcaillo

@@Peterrdee she didnt sang this one, its all britney. she has a deep voice like in that song, that you can her in her "baby one more time" album

16 More Replies...

@williama7124

Her voice is so strong here.

@BexusObliviate

That's what you get when she gets to use her natural voice, still pitched though

@guilhermeramos7475

William A cause sia is helping on back in vocal

@tinamajic4630

She imitate Sia,bcs Sia wrote this song

More Comments

More Versions