Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, now based in Los Angeles. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released six solo albums, three EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon is also known for her collaborations with among others Manic Street Preachers, Neon Neon, and Matt Davies.

Le Bon is singled out by critics for her "beautiful, haunting voice". She described writing and performing music as "important to me, it's just an expression and sometimes it's not necessary to moralise it". Le Bon claimed that "early experiences with a string of pet deaths had a profound lasting effect on me" and informed her initial self-admitted "abnormal fixation with death". She describes her lyric writing as "foraging for [the right] words and then everything falls into place".

What's Not Mine
Cate le Bon Lyrics

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Dirty water in my field
In my salt marsh tears
I'm not crying for myself
But I'm riding close

I was hiding in your disguise
I was looking through your dead eyes
I don't even know what's not mine

What's not mine

Climbing, climbing
Tip the boat
Put the dish on [:_(?]
I was opening your door
To my [:_(?]

I was lounging in your disguise
I was wreathing through your dead eyes
Now I don't even know what's not mine

What's not mine

Overall Meaning

The song "What's Not Mine" by Cate le Bon, is an introspective exploration of identity and self-discovery. The first lines "Dirty water in my field, in my salt marsh tears" evoke imagery of a polluted environment and emotional distress, hinting at the singer's internal struggles. The following line, "I'm not crying for myself, but I'm riding close" suggests that the singer is close to the pain and struggles of others, possibly experiencing them vicariously.

The second verse talks about the singer assuming another person's identity, indicated by the line "I was hiding in your disguise, I was looking through your dead eyes." The singer is unsure of what belongs to them and what doesn't, stating "I don't even know what's not mine." The use of repetition of this line in the chorus emphasizes the theme of uncertainty and confusion regarding one's identity.

The bridge section of the song is more abstract, with unclear lyrics such as "Climbing, climbing, tip the boat, put the dish on." However, it could be interpreted as the singer attempting to take control and make changes in their life. The use of the phrase "opening your door to my" suggests that the singer is either confronting or revealing a part of themselves to someone else.

Overall, "What's Not Mine" presents a complex and introspective exploration of identity and self-discovery. The pollution imagery and uncertain lyrics contribute to the overall theme of confusion and uncertainity.

Line by Line Meaning

Dirty water in my field
The presence of contamination that has infiltrated her space.

In my salt marsh tears
She is surrounded by sadness, tears like a marsh soak up everything around them, including what is not necessarily theirs.

I'm not crying for myself
Her sadness is not a result of her own pain, but of what she sees around her and the pains of those she cares for.

But I'm riding close
She is heavily affected by the situation and is sticking around to be a source of support.

I was hiding in your disguise
She was trying to masquerade as something or someone else, hiding her true feelings and identifying herself with a facade.

I was looking through your dead eyes
Her attempt at masking herself coincided with her closely studying someone, possibly someone who may have hurt her.

I don't even know what's not mine
She has become so engrossed in the situation that she has a hard time distinguishing what is hers and what belongs to others around her.

Climbing, climbing
The challenge keeps growing.

Tip the boat
Upset the balance.

Put the dish on [:_(?]
Not enough context.

I was opening your door
She was getting close to someone, perhaps wanting or expecting to develop a relationship with them.

To my [:_(?]
Not enough context.

I was lounging in your disguise
She continued to hide herself and immerse herself in someone else's world.

I was wreathing through your dead eyes
She was closely watching someone who may have been going through a difficult time.

Now I don't even know what's not mine
Her identity has become so entangled in the lives and pain of those around her that drawing the line between what is hers and what is not has become nearly impossible.

Writer(s): Cate Le Bon

Contributed by Jonathan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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