“Dog New Tricks” is the ninth track on Garbage’s self-titled debut album. Read Full Bio ↴“Dog New Tricks” is the ninth track on Garbage’s self-titled debut album.

Garbage later went in the studio to remix the track, calling the new mix “The Pal mix”, which was released on the “Stupid Girl” single. Live performances of the song were rather based on the remix than the album version.

Dog New Tricks
Garbage Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wish I had not woke up today
Everyone mistakes the things you say
Take the simple truth and
Twist it all around
Make it sound important
Make it seem profound

Dog new tricks

Nothing you learn will stick
Dog new tricks
You make me feel so worthless

Everyone I know has gone away
Died or left or just forgot to stay
Sometimes took for granted
Sometimes turned away
Sometimes didn't say what
I meant to say

Dog new tricks
Nothing you learn will stick
Dog new tricks
You make me feel so worthless

Nothing you learn
Nothing you learn
Nothing you learn
Nothing you learn

I never would have pegged you
For what you have become
Everyone lies
Everyone cheats
Not like you've done

Dog new tricks
Nothing you learn will stick
Dog new tricks
You make me feel so worthless

Dog new tricks
Nothing you learn will stick
Dog new tricks
You make me feel so worthless (nothing you learn)

Nothing you learn

Nothing you learn
Nothing you learn

Overall Meaning

Dog New Tricks, by Garbage, is a song that speaks to the feeling of inadequacy and worthlessness that many of us have felt at some point in our lives. It begins with the singer wishing they had never woken up that day, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the regret they feel about their life choices. They say that everyone misunderstands the things they say and twists their simple truth, making it seem profound and important, which suggests a feeling of being misunderstood or underappreciated.

The chorus is the most memorable part of the song, where the singer feels like they can't learn anything new, describing the feeling as "dog new tricks." This is a metaphor for the feeling of being stuck in a rut or trapped in a situation where you can't improve or grow. The line "you make me feel so worthless" speaks to the emotional pain that stems from this experience, and how it can impact one’s self-worth.

The final verse talks about the pain of seeing someone you trusted or cared about change into someone you don't recognize. The lines "everyone lies, everyone cheats, not like you've done" suggest that this person has done something particularly hurtful or disappointing, which makes their betrayal all the more painful. Overall, Dog New Tricks is a song that speaks to the experience of feeling underappreciated, emotionally trapped, and betrayed by someone you trusted.

Line by Line Meaning

I wish I had not woke up today
Starting the day makes me regret everything that has led me to this moment.

Everyone mistakes the things you say
People misunderstand and misinterpret your words.

Take the simple truth and
You twist and manipulate the truth to suit your own agenda,

Twist it all around
You distort the truth through manipulation.

Make it sound important
You exaggerate the facts to make your points seem significant.

Make it seem profound
You try to make your words sound deep and insightful, even if they are not.

Dog new tricks
You cannot learn or change, despite the opportunity for growth.

Nothing you learn will stick
You are incapable of learning from your mistakes and improving yourself.

You make me feel so worthless
Your actions and words have led me to feel insignificant and devalued.

Everyone I know has gone away
I have lost everyone close to me through death, abandonment or neglect.

Died or left or just forgot to stay
Those who were once in my life are gone for various reasons.

Sometimes took for granted
I did not value the relationships I had, leading to their demise.

Sometimes turned away
I pushed people away due to my own issues and insecurities.

Sometimes didn't say what
I failed to communicate my true feelings and intentions to those who mattered.

I meant to say
My words and actions were not aligned with what I truly felt or believed.

I never would have pegged you
I would have never expected you to act in the way you have.

For what you have become
You have changed and become someone who is unrecognizable from who you once were.

Everyone lies
Deception is universal among people.

Everyone cheats
People are not always honest, and cut corners to succeed.

Not like you've done
Your lies and cheating stand out as particularly egregious.

Nothing you learn
You refuse to learn from your mistakes or change your ways.

Nothing you learn
You repeat your actions without improvement or growth.

Nothing you learn
You are stuck in your old habits and behaviors.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DOUGLAS ELWIN ERICKSON, SHIRLEY ANN MANSON, STEVE W. MARKER, BRYAN DAVID VIG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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