Substitute
FrankTurner Lyrics

The first girl that I fell for was a fair and faithful fighter
He fell in love with a girl who was passionate and idealistic.

She smoldered with a will to save the world
She had a strong desire to make the world a better place.

I did my best to help her, yeah I stood shoulder to shoulder
He did what he could to support her and was right by her side.

On the front lines with my visionary girl
He was fighting for her cause with her as a team.

I wish that she had cared for me
He wanted her to love him back.

But in the end her ideologies
She prioritized her beliefs and values over her relationship with him.

Occupied the fortress of her heart
Her heart was closed off to him because of her commitment to her beliefs.

I wrote her 15 songs, but still we had to part
He tried to communicate his love through music, but it wasn't enough to keep their relationship going.

And if music was the food of love
If music were enough to sustain a loving relationship,

Then I'd be a fat romantic slob
Then he would be a supremely successful romantic.

Well music, it's my substitute for love
But since music is not enough to fulfill his love needs, he uses it as a substitute for love.

The last girl that I loved she was a low and lusty liar
The girl he fell for next was deceitful and not to be trusted.

She set my heart on fire, but made me choke
She made him feel alive and passionate, but ultimately caused him pain.

Her beauty was a sight to see, but she didn't save it all for me
She was attractive, but not committed to him exclusively.

I found other fires by following the smoke
He found other people to be passionate about by following his own interests and desires.

I wish that she had either cared for me or
He wished that she either loved him or

Let me be
Had left him alone, rather than stringing him along.

But she chased me from mind and from my home
She made him feel unwelcome in his own mind and in his own space.

I wrote her 16 songs, but I ended up alone
Again he tried to communicate his love through music, but this time it was unsuccessful in saving the relationship.

And if love is really all that we need
If love is the end all be all,

Then even all my singing is never gonna save me
Then even the most heartfelt music won't make up for a lack of love in his life.

Music it's my substitute for love
So he uses music to make up for that lack of love.

Well I've had many different girls inside my bed
He's had many sexual relationships.

But only one or two inside my head
He's only had true emotional connections with one or two women.

These days I cuddle up to my guitar instead
Now he spends his time focusing on his music instead of pursuing romantic relationships.

But oh, what I would give, not to stumble but to really fall in love
But he yearns for a true connection with someone.

And I could substitute my singing for the sound of someone sleeping next to me
And he wishes he could replace the fulfillment of companionship and intimacy with music, but he knows he can't.