The Psychic
Crash Test Dummies Lyrics


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She knows the future like the palm in your hand
She knows your past like the lay of the land
The first time she met me she saw right through me
Some cards and a cane in her hand, and she said:

All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be
I see here right before me

She said her visions were a bane in her life
She could not control them, they kept her up nights
I know what you're thinking, I haven't been drinking
She knew things that cut like a knife, and she said:

All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be
I see here right before me

Will there be earthquakes and great tidal waves?
Can she see back to the dinosaur days?
How can she foresee just by squinting at me and
Can she see me naked in her mind's eye?

What does she think when she foretells a disease?
Would she keep it a secret if death stood before me?
What could some cards hold, where is her foothold
Can I escape what she sees? And she said:

All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be




I see here right before me
I see here before me

Overall Meaning

In "The Psychic," the Crash Test Dummies sing about a woman who supposedly has the ability to predict the future and know people's pasts with remarkable accuracy. The singer reflects on his first encounter with her, where she saw straight through him with the help of her cards and cane. They then move on to her abilities and how she struggles with them, feeling like a curse on her life. The song ends with the singer questioning her powers and asking if she could see diseases and even see him naked in her mind. The overall message of the song seems to be about the human desire to know the unknown and the powerlessness we feel when faced with predictions, questions, and insinuations that we have no control over.


Musically, "The Psychic" is a haunting and slow ballad that sets the mood for the lyrics. The vocals of Brad Roberts are deep and thoughtful, perfectly capturing the mood of the song. The accordion and keyboard riffs add to the eerie atmosphere of the track, evoking the mysticism that surrounds the idea of fortune-telling.


Line by Line Meaning

She knows the future like the palm in your hand
The psychic has the ability to predict the future with great accuracy.


She knows your past like the lay of the land
The psychic has knowledge of a person's past, as if it is easily accessible to her.


The first time she met me she saw right through me
The psychic was able to understand the true nature of the singer from the very beginning.


Some cards and a cane in her hand, and she said:
The psychic demonstrated her tools of divination and began to speak about the future.


All the years that have come to pass And all the years that shall be I see here right before me
The psychic claims to have the ability to see both the past and future with ease, as if it is all laid out before her.


She said her visions were a bane in her life She could not control them, they kept her up nights
The psychic has visions that are out of her control and can be distressing to her.


I know what you're thinking, I haven't been drinking She knew things that cut like a knife, and she said:
The psychic is aware of the skepticism of others but has knowledge that can be difficult for others to accept.


Will there be earthquakes and great tidal waves? Can she see back to the dinosaur days?
The artist wonders about the limits of the psychic's ability to see into the future and past.


How can she foresee just by squinting at me and Can she see me naked in her mind's eye?
The artist is curious about how the psychic is able to gather information about them and wonders if there are any limits to her vision.


What does she think when she foretells a disease? Would she keep it a secret if death stood before me? What could some cards hold, where is her foothold Can I escape what she sees? And she said:
The artist has many questions about the psychic's abilities and fears what she may see in the future.


I see here before me
The psychic reiterates her vision of being able to see both past and future with ease.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRAD ROBERTS

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

Sérgio Ferreira de Souza

[Verse 1]
She knows the future like the palm of your hand
She knows your past like the lay of the land
The first time she met me she saw right through me
Some cards and a cane in her hand--and she said:

[Chorus]
All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be
I see here right before me

[Verse 2]
She said her visions were a bane in her life
She could not control them, they kept her up nights
I know what you're thinking, I haven't been drinking
She knew things that cut like a knife--and she said:

[Chorus]
All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be
I see here right before me

[Bridge]
Will there be earthquakes and great tidal waves?
Can she see back to the dinosaur days?
How can she foresee just by squinting at me and
Can she see me naked in her minds eye?



All comments from YouTube:

Glenn Hooper

How is there not 50k likes? An absolutely amazing alblum, and certainly one of my all time favorites

Zen11:11 Tarot

Amen love him. Saw them live love them

Terrianne Harrison

Agreed! Love God shuffled his feet ... Afternoons and Coffeespoons ... Swimming in your ocean ... love it all.

Crabtree FPV

This whole album is absolutely amazing

Rob

Thanks CTD for expressing healthy skepticism once again.

GM Freeman

You know, seeing all the history repeat it'self around the world. I can't help but feel like a psychic.

Psychics Irony

This song has helped me to reconcile my clairvoyance with my relationships, since the late 80's. Thank you for so many of your songs! I pretty much love them all! Blessed Be! ☮️💞☯️

GM Freeman

I also have connections that transcend space and time. Good to not be alone.

Rudolf Vizi

Really ...one of my favourite songs ever....
I imagine miself being in a king s court surrounded by a lot of crazy people acting strange ....i know it s funny ,but this is what comes in my mind ...❤❤❤😊

Sérgio Ferreira de Souza

[Verse 1]
She knows the future like the palm of your hand
She knows your past like the lay of the land
The first time she met me she saw right through me
Some cards and a cane in her hand--and she said:

[Chorus]
All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be
I see here right before me

[Verse 2]
She said her visions were a bane in her life
She could not control them, they kept her up nights
I know what you're thinking, I haven't been drinking
She knew things that cut like a knife--and she said:

[Chorus]
All the years that have come to pass
And all the years that shall be
I see here right before me

[Bridge]
Will there be earthquakes and great tidal waves?
Can she see back to the dinosaur days?
How can she foresee just by squinting at me and
Can she see me naked in her minds eye?

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