The Pretender
Foo Fighters Lyrics


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Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark
And so it all began

Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in, again
The need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Are you ready?
I'm finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance
That whole defense

Spinning infinity, boy
The wheel is spinning me
It's never-ending, never-ending
Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say that I'll never surrender?

In time our soul untold
I'm just another soul for sale, oh well
The page is out of print
We are not permanent
We're temporary, temporary
Same old story





What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say that I'll never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

I'm the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
Yeah, I'm the face that you have to face
Mirrored in your stare
I'm what's left, I'm what's right
I'm the enemy
I'm the hand that will take you down
Bring you to your knees

So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say that I'll never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others? (Keep you in the dark)
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays? (You know they all pretend)
You're the pretender (who dares)
What if I say I will never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others? (keep you in the dark)
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays? (You know they all pretend)
You're the pretender (who dares)
What if I say I will never surrender?

So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Pretender" by the Foo Fighters is about challenging the norm and standing up against conformity. The lyrics "keep you in the dark, you know they all pretend" suggest that people are often kept in the dark about the real truths and important issues of the world. The imagery of "skeletons" and "secrets" being revealed reflects the idea that the truth needs to come out and people need to be held accountable for their actions. The chorus reinforces this message, with the singer questioning the listener's role in perpetuating the cycle of deception and conformity.


The lines "what if I say I'm not like the others?" and "what if I say I will never surrender?" reflect a sense of rebellion and individualism. The singer is asking the questions to encourage the listener to think for themselves and not fall into the trap of living their lives according to someone else's playbook. The repeated line "who are you?" asks the listener to reflect on their own identity and purpose.


Overall, the song is a call to action for people to challenge the status quo, think for themselves, and stand up against conformity and deception.


Line by Line Meaning

Keep you in the dark
They hide information from you


You know they all pretend
You know they are not sincere


And so it all began
This is how it started


Send in your skeletons
Reveal your hidden secrets


Sing as their bones go marching in, again
Others will criticize and condemn you for your secrets


The need you buried deep
The desires and wants you’ve hidden inside


The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Your hidden secrets are always there, available to be discovered


Are you ready?
Are you prepared to face what you’ve been hiding?


I'm finished making sense
I no longer want to live with this hypocrisy


Done pleading ignorance
I'm no longer pretending to be blind to the problem


That whole defense
The excuses and reasoning for not revealing the truth


Spinning infinity, boy
Being stuck in the same cycle forever


The wheel is spinning me
I’m trapped in this cycle I can’t escape


It's never-ending, never-ending
This problem just continues, without any hope of resolution


Same old story
This has happened before and it will happen again


What if I say I'm not like the others?
I’m not the same as the people hiding the truth


You're the pretender
You’re the one who is hiding the truth


What if I say I will never surrender?
I will never give up trying to reveal the truth


In time our soul untold
Our true selves remain hidden


I'm just another soul for sale, oh well
I’m just like everyone else, in terms of being dishonest


The page is out of print
The story is over and can’t be changed


We are not permanent
We are not meant to last forever


We're temporary, temporary
Our existence is fleeting


I'm the voice inside your head
I’m your conscience


You refuse to hear
You ignore my advice


Yeah, I'm the face that you have to face
I’m the reality you have to confront


Mirrored in your stare
Reflected in your gaze


I'm what's left, I'm what's right
I represent the choices you’ve made


I'm the enemy
I’m your obstacle


I'm the hand that will take you down
I’m the force that will make you suffer the consequences


Bring you to your knees
Make you face the truth and its consequences


So who are you?
Who are you really, deep down?


You're the pretender (who dares)
You’re the one hiding the truth, and I challenge you to face it




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christopher A. Shiflett, David Eric Grohl, Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins

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

@NYRAPPERFULL

+Eric Pivaral Is this true or false, Eric?
Foo fighters can only make 10 types of songs:
1 Hard rock
2 post-grunge
3 punk rock
4 Rock
5 Alternative rock
6 grunge
7 power pop
8 alternative metal
9 soft rock
10 acoustic rock



@Epistist

Here is some problems with revolution:
We wants it all, with no sacrifice. 

Do you know how much you have to give up to be a part of a revolution? Do you know how much responsibility it takes and how much self-control and suffering? 
The only way human can evolve is by suffering and give up a dogmatic life. The French Revolution will soon be forgotten, because of socialism. They pull us back to what was before our freedom of the common man.. And I don't blame them.. man showed that they couldn't take the responsibility and become something greater than just something based upon self-glorious bastards, who believe everything is centered around them.
 
Welcome to the new world... just stay in the dark and let them rot up. A greater man should never be bound to time and location.... A greater man is timeless and will create ideas which will never die. A shepherd who will then time is right, whisper a beautiful lie to the sheep... and once again create paradise. 

You're welcome to the most basic historical facts of the humankind. 



All comments from YouTube:

@eloyguevara9709

Thanks dad for showing me this masterpiece, for gifting me these awesome music tastes. I feel I can fly.

@Starrypath-Zenithal

Not even flight at this point. Just straight, pure, heavenly ascension.

@KaggerMann

if you like foo fighters try Rotten Sound, theyre a bit slower but also good

@paulbijdeswahthuis8435

Stop smoking my Ganja sun.

@Killakrab007

You can fly. Go to the roof

@anemicpeasantry7698

didn't know the love child could type already...

@TravisSmith-f1q

How can you not get chills listening to this song? Even after all these years, man.. wow.

@NazriB

Lies again? Smart Bundesliga Tesla Porsche

@swashkiv7509

Probably because the song sucks. Foo fighters are sooo overrated

@xxdemonboisxxk6632

@@swashkiv7509nice bait

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