Been There Done That
Eno / Cale Lyrics
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It's a hundred and ninety degrees
We were crawling around on our knees
Till the sun came up at quarter to three
But the time we had
Dirty clothes and dirt on our walls
Swinging on the bathroom doors
Until somebody said they'd
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Yesterday I called you on the telephone
To tell you I was feeling alone
Where you been for the last few days?
I want you back
Put my feet back on the ground
I don't need the lost and found
I need somebody to tell me when I've
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
A broken heart
Won't get you much further than a cold heart
We're getting, getting better, we're running back
Running back, back to you and I'm feeling that
You're the money or the good times
When I've been there
The song "Been There Done That" by Brian Eno and John Cale explores themes of nostalgia, longing, and the desire to return to a former state of happiness. The opening lines describe a dreamlike state, where the temperature is a scorching 190 degrees and the singers are crawling on their knees. This suggests a sense of discomfort and desperation, as if they are trying to find something that they have lost. However, the sun comes up at quarter to three, indicating that there is still hope for a new beginning.
The lyrics then shift to a more concrete narrative, as the singer calls someone on the phone to tell them they are feeling alone. They express a desire to return to a past state of happiness, saying they "don't need the lost and found, I need somebody to tell me when I've been there, done that." The repetition of this phrase underscores the longing and nostalgia at the heart of the song.
The final lines suggest that the only thing that can help the singer move forward is the memory of good times with someone else: "You're the money or the good times when I've been there." Overall, the song offers a wistful reflection on the past and the ways in which our memories shape our present.
Line by Line Meaning
I was dreaming
I was lost in my thoughts / imagination
It's a hundred and ninety degrees
It's incredibly hot / uncomfortable.
We were crawling around on our knees
We were on our hands and knees, perhaps looking for something.
Till the sun came up at quarter to three
We kept crawling until it was almost morning
But the time we had
We enjoyed that time together.
Dirty clothes and dirt on our walls
Our surroundings were filthy and neglected.
Swinging on the bathroom doors
We were in a carefree state of mind, playing and fooling around.
Thinking we were having a ball
We believed we were having a great time.
Until somebody said they'd
Until someone told us they had a similar experience.
Been there, done that
They had already experienced what we were experiencing.
Been there, don't wanna go back
They didn't enjoy their past experience enough to repeat it.
Been there, done that
They are reiterating their previous statement that they already had that experience.
Been there, don't wanna go back
They still don't want to repeat that experience.
Yesterday I called you on the telephone
I reached out to you over the phone yesterday.
To tell you I was feeling alone
I informed you about my state of mind - feeling isolated and lonely.
Where you been for the last few days?
Where have you been? Why haven't I heard from you?
I want you back
I want to reconcile with you.
Put my feet back on the ground
I need your support so I can be grounded and stable.
I don't need the lost and found
I don't need to search aimlessly for something that is already gone.
I need somebody to tell me when I've
I need someone who can guide me when I
Been there, done that
have had a similar experience before.
Been there, don't wanna go back
They didn't enjoy their past experience enough to repeat it.
Been there, done that
They still insist they have already had that experience.
Been there, don't wanna go back
They still don't want to repeat that experience.
A broken heart
Having one's heart broken by someone.
Won't get you much further than a cold heart
Feeling heartbroken will not lead to a happy or fulfilling life.
We're getting, getting better, we're running back
We seem to be improving, heading towards something good.
Running back, back to you and I'm feeling that
I'm running back to you and I'm starting to feel hopeful.
You're the money or the good times
You are the source of my good times, you make me happy.
When I've been there
After I have had an experience.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO, JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ariel Sanchez
I was dreaming
It's a hundred and ninety degrees
We were crawling around on our knees
Till the sun came up at quarter to three
But the time we had
Dirty clothes and dirt on our walls
Swinging on the bathroom doors
Thinking we were having a ball
Until somebody said they'd
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Yesterday I called you on the telephone
To tell you I was feeling alone
Where you been for the last few days?
I want you back
Put my feet back on the ground
I don't need the lost and found
I need somebody to tell me when I've
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
A broken heart
Won't get you much further than a cold heart
We're getting, getting better, we're running back
Running back, back to you and I'm feeling that
You're the money or the good times
When I've been there
Recrat Demopublican
I've had this single since 1990, I still have it to this day
Margaret Martell
His voice sounds great, music is great .. been there done that, been there don't wanna go back - I think we all can relate to that ...
Margaret Martell
A year later, just wanna say still love this song
Bradley Lowden
Cales a great songwriter
Computer Lunch
Great song
Ivan Sunde
The best
Ariel Sanchez
I was dreaming
It's a hundred and ninety degrees
We were crawling around on our knees
Till the sun came up at quarter to three
But the time we had
Dirty clothes and dirt on our walls
Swinging on the bathroom doors
Thinking we were having a ball
Until somebody said they'd
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Yesterday I called you on the telephone
To tell you I was feeling alone
Where you been for the last few days?
I want you back
Put my feet back on the ground
I don't need the lost and found
I need somebody to tell me when I've
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
Been there, done that
Been there, don't wanna go back
A broken heart
Won't get you much further than a cold heart
We're getting, getting better, we're running back
Running back, back to you and I'm feeling that
You're the money or the good times
When I've been there
Michael Bacon
I like this merger of Roxy Music and Velvet Underground! :-)
Mick Gold
One reviewer called "Wong Way Up" as sounding like two only children who'd been forced by their parents to play together. After the record was finished, Eno said He could not work with Cale, he was too irrational. Cale said, I don't know what Eno means by collaboration, he pretends to listen to you and then goes on doing his own thing. Nonetheless they made a great record.
Kris Scanlon
In the next life I'm coming back as Brian Eno and John Cale! How cool would it be to have a partner like that furthermore then getting in a fight with each other since both a very passionate geniuses