You Silly Git
Dan Mangan Lyrics
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So I guess all those souvenirs are for her health
She gives me quarters for the phone
And every time I feel alone I go broke
Yeah I go broke
She says if you're not here at least make sure you miss me
So when I miss her I make sure to let her know
And sure I guess I like it too
I'm Mr. Charming without the charming
I can hear the eyebrows raise when I start singing
'Cause the songs I sing are all about myself
You can read me like a book
I'm not as clever as I look
I've got a sneaky kind of selfish
That I keep upon the shelf
With jars of double-sided comments
For people who've done nothing wrong
Preparing for the lights
And always practicing my sha-na-nas
I will stand right next to giants
And roar aside the lions
Wondering how is it so easy
For leaves amid the breeze to blow
From hometowns all around us
To hometowns where nobody lives
Just cities full of people
People making people making people
For the masses
People we won't ever know
She says the point of this is not to date the future
So just focus on the task at hand
Try to break up with your pride
And start to flirt with satisfied
The song "You Silly Git" by Dan Mangan is a reflection on life and a relationship. The first verse is about how the woman he is talking to believes that people have lost their sense of joy and happiness in life. She sees the souvenirs Dan has collected and interprets them as a way of trying to remind himself of happy times, as if he has lost his joy as well. She gives him quarters for the phone, suggesting that she wants him to call her when he is feeling down. However, this ends up depleting his funds, leading to him feeling even more alone. The second verse is about how the woman wants him to miss her when they are not together, so he should let her know that he does. This sets up the idea that Dan is not very good at showing his feelings and is self-centered.
The lines, "I can hear the eyebrows raise when I start singing / 'Cause the songs I sing are all about myself" show that Dan is aware of this quality in himself. He is also aware that his selfishness is sneaky, meaning he doesn't always see it or admit to it. He has double-sided comments in jars, suggesting that he has things to say but is not always honest. He is also preparing for something that is big and impressive, hence "preparing for the lights / And always practicing my sha-na-nas" but he is unsure how to get there.
In the last verse, he wonders about the movement of leaves and how life just happens. He is also aware that there are so many people out there that they will never know or meet. His partner wants him to focus on the present and be satisfied with what he has, but he is struggling with that. Overall, the lyrics touch on themes of self-centeredness, honesty, and finding happiness in life.
Line by Line Meaning
She says the joys of life are lost among the living
She believes that people don't appreciate the good things in life while they are alive
So I guess all those souvenirs are for her health
She collects mementos to remind herself of the joys of life
She gives me quarters for the phone
She helps me when I need to call someone
And every time I feel alone I go broke
I spend all my money when I'm feeling lonely
She says if you're not here at least make sure you miss me
She wants me to think about her when she's not around
So when I miss her I make sure to let her know
I reach out to her when I'm missing her
It's the least that I could do
It's the minimum effort required to show her I care
And sure I guess I like it too
I enjoy showing her affection
I'm Mr. Charming without the charming
I try to come across as charming, but it doesn't always work
I can hear the eyebrows raise when I start singing
People are skeptical when I sing about myself
'Cause the songs I sing are all about myself
I write music that is self-centered
You can read me like a book
I'm predictable and easy to understand
I'm not as clever as I look
Despite my appearances, I'm not particularly intelligent
I've got a sneaky kind of selfish
I'm selfish in a subtle way
That I keep upon the shelf
I try to hide my selfishness
With jars of double-sided comments
I have a tendency to say things that have a hidden meaning
For people who've done nothing wrong
I criticize people for no reason
Preparing for the lights
I'm getting ready for the spotlight
And always practicing my sha-na-nas
I'm rehearsing for my performances
I will stand right next to giants
I aspire to be like the greats
And roar aside the lions
I want to be noticed and heard
Wondering how is it so easy
I'm curious about how things work
For leaves amid the breeze to blow
I'm amazed at how easily nature flows
From hometowns all around us
The wind carries leaves from many different places
To hometowns where nobody lives
The leaves end up in abandoned towns
Just cities full of people
The world is full of bustling cities
People making people making people
Humans reproduce and create new life
For the masses
For everyone to benefit from
People we won't ever know
Most of the people who will benefit are strangers to us
She says the point of this is not to date the future
She wants me to focus on the present, not the unknown future
So just focus on the task at hand
Concentrate on what's in front of you
Try to break up with your pride
Don't be too arrogant
And start to flirt with satisfied
Find contentment in what you have
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Dan Mangan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind