Hospital Food
David Gray Lyrics


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Just a little something for the pain
Hospital food getting you down?
Honey now I'm not one to complain
But this hangin' around
Is wearing me out

So patch me up boys take me home
Are you not hearing a word I say?
She sounds so different on the phone
I just sink like a stone
Back to the bay

Tell me something
Tell me something
I don't already know
Tell me something
Tell me something I don't know

Don't seem to have that much to show
For all the hard work, the sweat and toil
You say â??well that's right', and you should know
You've been there before
You've basked in the glow
You've stood in the roar
You've tasted the snow

Tell me something
Tell me something
I don't already know
Tell me something
Tell me something
I don't already

Seeing it all so beautiful
The way it oughta be
Seeing it all so beautiful
And turning away
Turning away
Turning away

Tell me something
Tell me something
I don't already know
Tell me something




Tell me something
I don't already know

Overall Meaning

The song "Hospital Food" by David Gray is about a man who is frustrated by his stay at the hospital. He sings about how the hospital food is getting him down and he wants to go home. The man is not one to complain, but he is worn out from just hanging around. He asks to be patched up and taken home, but it seems like no one is listening to him. He is conflicted between wanting to be cared for and wanting to be independent. He feels like he is not getting what he wants from the people around him.


The chorus is him pleading for someone to tell him something he doesn't already know. He feels like he knows everything there is to know, but he doesn't have much to show for it. Despite all his hard work, sweat, and toil, he feels stuck. The bridge of the song is him seeing life as beautiful, but turning away from it. This could be interpreted as him feeling depressed, or tired from the mundane aspects of life.


Overall, the song is a reflection on the conflicts within one's own self in dealing with health issues, and the desire for meaningful conversation or something to break up the monotony.


Line by Line Meaning

Just a little something for the pain
Gray is requesting for some medication or pain relief for his ailment.


Hospital food getting you down?
Gray is asking if the poor quality of hospital food is affecting the patient's mood negatively.


Honey now I'm not one to complain
Gray is expressing that he is not a complainer by nature, and is hesitant to voice his concerns.


But this hangin' around Is wearing me out
Being stuck in the hospital for an extended period of time is taking a toll on Gray's physical and mental health.


So patch me up boys take me home
Gray is requesting to be discharged from the hospital and brought home after his treatment.


Are you not hearing a word I say?
Gray is expressing frustration that his listeners are not attentive to his requests or concerns.


She sounds so different on the phone I just sink like a stone Back to the bay
Gray is feeling homesick and nostalgic, as he recalls his hometown and longs to return.


Don't seem to have that much to show For all the hard work, the sweat and toil
Gray is lamenting the fact that despite all his hard work, he has not achieved much in life.


You say â??well that's right', and you should know You've been there before You've basked in the glow You've stood in the roar You've tasted the snow
Gray is being reassured by someone who has gone through the same experience as him and is giving him advice based on their wisdom and knowledge.


Seeing it all so beautiful The way it oughta be Seeing it all so beautiful And turning away Turning away Turning away
Gray is acknowledging the beauty in life, but also recognizing his own inability to fully embrace it due to external circumstances, such as his illness or personal struggles.


Tell me something Tell me something I don't already know Tell me something Tell me something I don't already know
Gray is seeking new knowledge or insights from those around him, hoping to gain a fresh perspective or understanding.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Gray, Robert Martin Malone

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@brianthabangmodisana6330

14 January 2006 I went to visit my mother in Hospital here in Johannesburg, South Africa... It was the last song that was played before we left the hospital to home ... The song kept playing in my heard all week until we got the sad news that my mom had passed on ... I love this song it reminds me of the last moments with my mom...

@kevinmurley4776

My dad passed away three years later and ditto

@user-lz9wb6ys5x

One of my favorite songs of all time. Anybody else think it's a metaphor for someone who has decided it is time to move on with their life?

@ttenchantr

To me it sounds like a metaphor for someone who has decided it is time to move on
from life period.

@mattyp6607

This tune is so good, and so underrated

@wizard1370

I know right

@dylpickle2861

This song makes me cry every time. Its such an accurate description of apathetic depression. Tell me something i dont already know. Hits so so hard.

@nikafree1852

The best music and lyrics ever made.

@ricklaird9210

" David Gray is a Brilliant Musician "

@gingertoffee2256

Rick Laird fully agree, i feel, even from his early shine days, he has sang the soundtrack to my life. His music has helped me to try and conquer the unbeatable grief of losing my Mam n Dad in 3 months of each other. I seen him live so many times, i find him a beautiful man and a caring soul x

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