Mirror
Dr. Dog Lyrics


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At the bottom there's a stir
And now surface is a blur
Tell the truth like it's a joke
And don't fix the part that isn't broke
I know I'm just a memory
And I know that's how it's got to be
So tell the mirror on the wall
'Mirror, mirror on the wall;
There's no reflection here at all

Mirror, mirror on the wall there's no reflection here at all.

I'm so tired that I can't sleep
The secrets that my secrets keep
Down the stairway to the church
Blackbirds hanging in the lurch
I don't want to see my name in stone
I tied a ribbon round a bone
Took a ride in a yellow car
And bought myself an old guitar
Things ain't what they used to be
I gotta devil after me
Tell the mirror on the wall
Mirror mirror on the wall
There's no reflection here at all

Mirror mirror on the wall there's no reflection here at all
Mirror mirror on the wall there's no reflection here at all

You're looking high, you're looking low
You got something on your mind
Did someone give you bad directions?
Where you in the wrong place at the wrong time?
They found a body in the river
They found a note left in the sand




"Leave my worries to the water
And leave my body to the land"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dr. Dog's song "Mirror Mirror" have a melancholic tone that speaks about a sense of confusion and disorientation. The song seems to revolve around the concept of reflection, whether it be in a literal sense like a mirror or metaphorical sense like examining one's life. The opening lines 'At the bottom there's a stir, and now the surface is a blur' seem to speak of the internal turmoil and confusion that the singer is experiencing, it's as though everything is murky and unclear. The line "Tell the truth like it's a joke" could be interpreted as concealing emotions and thoughts with a façade of humor. The next line "And don't fix the part that isn't broke" could imply that the singer feels they are functioning well enough despite their inner unrest.


The phrase "I know I'm just a memory, and I know that's how it's got to be" could be interpreted as a sense of resignation to the fact that everything is transient and nothing lasts forever. The singer seems to desire a sort of comfort from the mirror as they say, "Tell the mirror on the wall, mirror mirror on the wall; There's no reflection here at all", as though the mirror has the power to show them something they cannot see on their own. The next stanza is marked by a sense of exhaustion, where the singer is too tired to sleep and is holding onto secrets, symbolized by the line "The secrets that my secrets keep." The image of the 'blackbirds hanging in the lurch' is vivid and ominous, indicating that something dark is lurking or about to happen. The line, "I don't want to see my name in stone" could represent a fear of becoming a permanent fixture, the idea that one's existence will be forever etched in memory.


Line by Line Meaning

At the bottom there's a stir
Something is stirring at the bottom; perhaps something is about to come to the surface


And now surface is a blur
Now that something is starting to surface, things are becoming unclear or confusing


Tell the truth like it's a joke
Be honest, but don't take things too seriously--laugh a little and don't make a big deal out of it


And don't fix the part that isn't broke
If something isn't broken, don't try to fix it--leave it be


I know I'm just a memory
I am aware that I am simply a memory for someone else


And I know that's how it's got to be
I understand that this is just the way things are


So tell the mirror on the wall
Go ahead and speak to the mirror on the wall


'Mirror, mirror on the wall;
Address the mirror by saying, 'Mirror, mirror on the wall'


There's no reflection here at all
There is no reflection to be seen in the mirror


I'm so tired that I can't sleep
I'm exhausted to the point that I can't even fall asleep


The secrets that my secrets keep
Even my secrets have secrets


Down the stairway to the church
Walking down a staircase toward the church


Blackbirds hanging in the lurch
Blackbirds are waiting or hesitating before making a decision or commitment


I don't want to see my name in stone
I don't want to be memorialized in stone after I'm gone


I tied a ribbon round a bone
I tied a ribbon around a bone--perhaps as a keepsake or reminder of something


Took a ride in a yellow car
Took a ride in a car that was yellow in color


And bought myself an old guitar
Purchased an old guitar for myself


Things ain't what they used to be
Things have changed and are not like they used to be


I gotta devil after me
I feel like a devil or some kind of trouble is following me


You're looking high, you're looking low
You're searching high and low for something


You got something on your mind
There's something weighing on your mind or bothering you


Did someone give you bad directions?
Did someone lead you astray or give you incorrect information?


Where you in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Did you end up somewhere you shouldn't have been or at a time when you shouldn't have been there?


They found a body in the river
Someone discovered a body in the river


They found a note left in the sand
Someone found a note that had been left or written in the sand


"Leave my worries to the water
The note said to leave one's worries to the water


And leave my body to the land"
The note also said to leave one's body behind on land




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SCOTT MCMICKEN, TOBY LEAMAN

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

@Bliffenstimmers

Lyrics:

At the bottom there's a stir
And now surface is a blur
Tell the truth like it's a joke
And don't fix the part that isn't broke
I know I'm just a memory
And I know that's how it's got to be
So tell the mirror on the wall
'Mirror, mirror on the wall;
There's no reflection here at all
Mirror, mirror on the wall there's no reflection here at all.
I'm so tired that I can't sleep
The secrets that my secrets keep
Down the stairway to the church
Blackbirds hanging in the lurch
I don't want to see my name in stone
I tied a ribbon round a bone
Took a ride in a yellow car
And bought myself an old guitar
Things ain't what they used to be
I gotta devil after me
Tell the mirror on the wall
Mirror mirror on the wall
There's no reflection here at all
Mirror mirror on the wall there's no reflection here at all
Mirror mirror on the wall there's no reflection here at all
You're looking high, you're looking low
You got something on your mind
Did someone give you bad directions?
Where you in the wrong place at the wrong time?
They found a body in the river
They found a note left in the sand
"Leave my worries to the water
And leave my body to the land"



All comments from YouTube:

@MrBillSasquatch

No way. The more people that know great music the better. I'd rather enjoy this with a bunch of people than just a few.

@GreenlanternDc1

favorite band! i cant believe i went so long without hearing them. Their lyrics in this song are insanely meaningful and hit so close to home...

@alexanewman6918

STILL SLAPS

@katiemerrill1433

Whenever they sing the chorus it reminds me of the Beatles:)

@MagpieDynamics

The sort of song I’d expect to hear during a travel montage.

@pepepan4350

goes so hard

@chriskolb3167

Saw you guys in Louisville a few years back. When I was seeking dead you made me feel alive.

@crackerbargle

"Leave my worries to the water
And leave my body to the land"

@bobkraft4364

Hell of a song

@eyakimicki

I just found this and I guess my name is very similar

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