In January of '98 Exit 159 released their debut EP Lost On Earth (Don't Touch Me Records) to critical raves, and the two singles, "What Gives?" and "Short Ride Down", got regular rotation on KLZR 105.9 and 107.3 the X in Kansas City. They were also voted the "Best New Band" by readers at the Pitch Awards, hosted by PitchWeekly (now referred to as The Pitch). The band released their debut self-titled full-length on the same label that released their EP, and show the band continuing to explore and expand their own particular take on pop rock n' roll.
Kristie Stremel - Guitar/Vocals
Rob VanBiber - Drums
Byron Huhmann - Bass/Vocals
I Like You
Exit 159 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
don't you need me
don't you wanna be my friend
and I won't hate you if you kiss me
and I won't sing a love song to you
you would never want that
and I won't say how much I like you
you would surely hate that
you were so sincere
and I don't want to but I just had to
you were so, so scared
and do you ever think about that
and hope it just goes away
you would never do without that
and no it never goes away
The lyrics of Exit 159's song "I Like You" deal with unrequited love and the complex emotions that come with it. The singer acknowledges their feelings towards the person they are addressing, but also acknowledges that those feelings are not reciprocated. They express a desire for friendship, but also admit that there is a deeper attraction there. The line "and I won't say how much I like you, you would surely hate that" speaks to the fear of rejection and the anxiety that can come with revealing one's true feelings.
The second half of the lyrics reference a specific moment between the singer and the person they like - wrestling in a bedroom where the other person was "so sincere." This moment seems to be significant to the singer, and they wonder if the other person ever thinks about it too. The line "you would never do without that and no it never goes away" suggests that the memory of this moment will always be with them, despite the fact that the other person may not feel the same way.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Like You" are bittersweet, expressing both longing and resignation. The singer is stuck in a place of unrequited love, unable to fully express their feelings but unable to let them go completely.
Line by Line Meaning
don't you want me
Are you interested in me?
don't you need me
Do you feel like you need me in your life?
don't you wanna be my friend
Would you like to be my friend?
and I won't hate you if you kiss me
I won't reject you if you try to kiss me.
and I won't sing a love song to you
I won't overwhelm you with a love song.
you would never want that
You wouldn't appreciate me expressing major affection.
and I won't say how much I like you
I won't confess how much I like you.
you would surely hate that
I'm sure you wouldn't like me being too upfront.
wrestling in your bedroom
We were struggling in your room.
you were so sincere
You were genuine in the moment.
and I don't want to but I just had to
I wasn't interested, but I was compelled to join in.
you were so, so scared
You were really frightened.
and do you ever think about that
Do you still consider that moment?
and hope it just goes away
I pray that you forget and move on.
you would never do without that
You require a great deal of comfort and attention.
and no it never goes away
The memory never fades.
Contributed by Colton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.