Fake Plastic Trees
Franco Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Her green plastic wateringcan
for her fake chineserubberplant
in the fake plastic earth.
that she bought from a rubber man in a town full of rubber plans
to get rid of itself,- it wears her out.
she lives with a broken man,
a cracked polystyreneman who just
crumbles and burns.
he used to do surgery for girls in the eighties but gravity always
wins and it wears him out.
She looks like the real thing.
she tastes like the real thing,
my fake plastic love.
But i can't help the feeling.
i could blow through the ceiling.
if i just turn and run.




and it wears me out.
If i could be who you wanted all the time.

Overall Meaning

In "Fake Plastic Trees", Franco is painting a picture of a world where everything is fake and plastic, including the people. The song starts by introducing us to a girl with her green plastic watering can and fake Chinese rubber plant, living in a world of fake plastic earth that she bought from a rubber man in a town full of rubber plans. However, this world is wearing her out as she lives with a broken man, a cracked polystyrene man who crumbles and burns. Franco then introduces us to his character, who has fallen for this fake girl, who looks and tastes like the real thing but is just a "fake plastic love". He can't help feeling worn out, and he wishes to escape by running and blowing through the ceiling. He feels like he can never be who she wants him to be, even though he would love to.


The song speaks to the feelings of alienation and disillusionment that people sometimes experience when they realize that everything around them is fake or insincere. The lyrics describe a world where people are defined by their possessions, and true connections are hard to come by. The singer of the song longs for a connection that is real and sincere, but he feels trapped by the world that he inhabits. He wants to be true to himself, but he also wants to be loved and accepted by the fake girl he has fallen for.


Line by Line Meaning

Her green plastic wateringcan
She has a plastic watering can which is green in color.


for her fake chineserubberplant
She uses that watering can to water her fake rubber plant which she bought from a rubber man in a town where rubber plants are common.


in the fake plastic earth.
The plant is kept in fake plastic soil.


that she bought from a rubber man in a town full of rubber plans
She bought the fake rubber plant from a man who sells rubber plants, in a town where such plants are largely grown.


to get rid of itself,- it wears her out.
The monotony of life is tiring her out.


she lives with a broken man,
She lives with a man who is broken and unhappy.


a cracked polystyreneman who just
This man is so damaged that he is now like a cracked polystyrene dummy.


crumbles and burns.
He is destroying himself.


he used to do surgery for girls in the eighties but gravity always
He used to perform surgeries on young women in the 80s; however, he has now succumbed to gravity and time.


wins and it wears him out.
The slow march of time is taking a toll on him.


She looks like the real thing.
She presents herself as something genuine and authentic.


she tastes like the real thing,
She seems real, convincing and authentic in every way possible.


my fake plastic love.
The love he has for her is fake, which he understands.


But i can't help the feeling.
He can't help but feel this way, regardless of knowing that their love is not genuine.


i could blow through the ceiling.
He is filled with emotion with no way out.


if i just turn and run.
If he were to leave her and seek something true, he believes that he could crack through the mundanity of his life.


and it wears me out.
The constant cycle of merely existing is exhausting.


If i could be who you wanted all the time.
If he could be what his love was looking for, he would do it without hesitation.




Writer(s): Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'brien, Philip James Selway, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Thomas Edward Yorke

Contributed by Lucas Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@jickoiardiente7702

Radiohead is my most favorite band. Kudos sa Franco for giving justice. iba ang atake nito.. dragging na parang Deftones ang style. Love both versions

@soundshake1

He nailed it perfectly. Im a big radiohead fan and Im impressed

@pseudosligh

I personally am not a fan of Franco but I'm a huge fan of the songs he covers, like Jeff Buckley's Everybody Here Wants You and this, my most fave Radiohead song. Shows he's got really good taste. Kudos. 🤘🤘🤘

@Eli-vy3vn

One of the best covers!✨

@rommelriot

My God.....

Thats the most beautiful cover I have ever heard........ Its heavenly........ 🤘

@mooncherie777

still one of the best cover of fake plastic tress 🙌🏼🤩

@jajcapili6294

Very very nice cover. The voice is just perfect with the song

@madkat7376

this is a highly commendable video sir. sana i-compile din ni franco lahat ng covers nya into an album.

@Lennonbeatsall

Wooooww....i love the song ever since but haven't thought of a better version...till i saw this...superb!

@3arach3

Good God this is freaking awesome music at its best! All the way FRANCO!!!

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