I Didn't Understand
Elliott Smith Lyrics


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Thought you'd be looking for the next in line to love then ignore
Put out and put away
And so you'd soon be leaving me alone like I'm supposed to be tonight
Tomorrow and everyday
There's nothing here that you'll miss
I can guarantee you this is a cloud of smoke
Trying to occupy space
What a fucking joke
What a fucking joke
I waited for a bus to separate the both of us and take me off far away
From you 'cause my feelings never change a bit I always feel like shit I
Don't know why I guess that I \"just do\"
You once talked to me about love and you painted pictures of
A never-neverland and I could've gone to that place
But I didn't understand




I didn't understand
I didn't understand

Overall Meaning

"I Didn't Understand" is a melancholic interpretation of the aftermath of a breakup. The song speaks to the disappointment and confusion that comes with a relationship ending. The opening lines set the scene of the singer's partner moving on while they are left behind, feeling discarded and ignored. The song then delves into the singer's inner monologue, as they try to come to terms with the unrequited love they still feel for their former lover. In the second verse, the singer looks back on a conversation they had with their ex about love, and how they painted a picture of an idyllic, fantasy-like world. The singer laments that they could have gone to that place with their partner, but ultimately they didn't understand what their ex was trying to convey to them.


Line by Line Meaning

Thought you'd be looking for the next in line to love then ignore
I thought you'd be seeking another person to love and then discard, without giving it any care or thought.


Put out and put away
Treating someone as if they were no longer desired, crumpled up and thrown away.


And so you'd soon be leaving me alone like I'm supposed to be tonight
You would leave me alone, as if that was the natural thing to do.


Tomorrow and everyday
This behavior would continue on a daily basis.


There's nothing here that you'll miss
I am certain you won't miss anything here.


I can guarantee you this is a cloud of smoke
My presence is as insubstantial and fleeting as smoke in the air.


Trying to occupy space
Still, I am here, trying to occupy some kind of space in your world.


What a fucking joke
It's ridiculous and absurd.


What a fucking joke
It's ridiculous and absurd.


I waited for a bus to separate the both of us and take me off far away
I waited for a bus to separate us and take me far away from you.


From you 'cause my feelings never change a bit
I need to be away from you because my feelings for you never changed.


I always feel like shit I don't know why I guess that I "just do"
I consistently feel terrible, and for no apparent reason.


You once talked to me about love and you painted pictures of
You spoke of love and painted vivid imagery in my mind.


A never-neverland and I could've gone to that place
A place of unattainable bliss, which seemed so possible at the time.


But I didn't understand
I could not comprehend it, nor was I ever able to.


I didn't understand
I could not comprehend it, nor was I ever able to.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Steven Paul Smith

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

@moonsuns2941

Thought you'd be looking for the next in line to love then ignore
Put out and put away
And so you'd soon be leaving me alone like I'm supposed to be tonight
Tomorrow and everyday
There's nothing here that you'll miss
I can guarantee you this is a cloud of smoke
Trying to occupy space
What a fucking joke
What a fucking joke
I waited for a bus to separate the both of us and take me off far away
From you 'cause my feelings never change a bit I always feel like shit I
Don't know why I guess that I \"just do\"
You once talked to me about love and you painted pictures of
A never-neverland and I could've gone to that place
But I didn't understand
I didn't understand
I didn't understand



All comments from YouTube:

@kool_thing

Ok, it's time to binge listen to Elliott Smith again I guess.

@bgoumas

Lesia Umanets lol every time right?

@joonpark2144

Right there with you!

@blackstephh

It's always time to binge elliott

@JunkBondTrader

@@blackstephh haha it's an endless binge, therefore not a binge. Elliott is just part of the routine :)

@frisianfreedom1143

Yep😂

10 More Replies...

@datar0t273

im absolutely in shock at the quality of this... it looks like it couldve been filmed yesterday

@datar0t273

you can literally see each individual eyelash without trouble

@aujew

@@aarvlo They had nice digital cameras then, they just werent consumer products at the time.

@Jorikp2

these 2 meter sessions actually put the quality of sound and video recording above all else, it was the program maker's (also the one who interviews) main goal of preserving and recording the music the way the artist intended it to be heard

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