The songs of the project God Help the Girl belong to the genre of indie pop and resemble the other output of Belle & Sebastian in tone – two songs (Funny Little Frog and Act of the Apostle) were taken directly from the earlier repertory of this group. However, contrary to the earlier work of Belle & Sebastian – a group dominated by male performers, female vocalists (who are not members of the group) play the main role in the project. The songs themselves also tell about the problems of young girls entering adult life.
God Help the Girl
God Help the Girl Lyrics
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There is no way I'm looking for a scene
I need to save some dough
I'm a working girl, you know
I'll fend attention off I keep to myself
I love my room, I'm getting used to sleeping
Some nights I really like to lie awake
The message in their words
The dawn will touch me in a way a boy could never touch
Their promise never meant so much to me
You have been warned, I'm warned to be contrary
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
Teacher never cared for me
Preacher said a prayer for me
God help the girl, she needs all the help she can get
I sit for hours just waiting for his phone call
I'll leave the chocolate hidden in the fridge
I'll play his messages
Analyze his intonation
Please stop me there, I'm even boring myself
I think of him when I'm doing the dishes
I think of him while looking in the sink
This ain't no play on words
My love for him is absurd
If he gave me a sign I'd think about it for a week
I'd build it up and then I'd turn him down
You have been warned, I'm warned to be contrary
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
Teacher never cared for me
Preacher said a prayer for me
God help the girl, she needs all the help she can get
The lyrics of "God Help the Girl" by God Help the Girl focus on the singer's thoughts and experiences as an independent woman who doesn't need a boyfriend or a scene to feel complete. She is focused on saving money and being a working girl. The singer enjoys her own company and takes pleasure in listening to the midnight birds. She appreciates the promise of a new day they bring, and being touched by the dawn is more meaningful to her than being touched by a boy. She seems content with her life the way it is, but her thoughts eventually turn towards a man she is interested in. She thinks about him all the time, waits for his phone call, and analyzes his messages. However, despite her love for the man, the singer is conflicted and unsure of what to do if he gave her a sign.
The song's theme is primarily about the desire for independence and self-sufficiency. The singer is happy and alive in her own space, appreciating the non-human beauty of the world, yet feeling lonely and lost without human love. The song captures the dichotomy of love and independence, exploring the idea that while we all need love and attention, it is equally important to be comfortable and confident in one's own skin.
Line by Line Meaning
There is no way I'm looking for a boyfriend
I am not searching for a romantic partner
There is no way I'm looking for a scene
I am not interested in being a part of a particular group or subculture
I need to save some dough
I must save money for my future
I'm a working girl, you know
I am a young woman with a job
I'll fend attention off I keep to myself
I avoid drawing attention to myself in order to remain independent
I love my room, I'm getting used to sleeping
I appreciate my personal space and have grown accustomed to being alone
Some nights I really like to lie awake
On occasion, I find pleasure in staying awake and reflecting
I hear the midnight birds
I am comforted by the sounds of nature
The message in their words
Their songs convey a deeper meaning to me
The dawn will touch me in a way a boy could never touch
The sunrise has a unique effect on me that no physical touch from a boy could replicate
Their promise never meant so much to me
The birds' implied promises hold great significance for me
You have been warned, I'm warned to be contrary
I am informing you that I often act in an opposing manner
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
I struggled with academics and often went against traditional norms
Teacher never cared for me
My educators did not show me much attention or support
Preacher said a prayer for me
Even my religious leader recognized the difficulties I faced
God help the girl, she needs all the help she can get
I am pleading for divine intervention, as I require any assistance possible
I sit for hours just waiting for his phone call
I waste valuable time hoping for communication from him
I'll leave the chocolate hidden in the fridge
I plan to leave a treat for myself for a later time
I'll play his messages
I listen to his voicemails over and over again
Analyze his intonation
I scrutinize his tone of voice for any clues or signals
Please stop me there, I'm even boring myself
I am aware of how tedious my habits have become
I think of him when I'm doing the dishes
He is on my mind even while I perform mundane tasks
I think of him while looking in the sink
Even cleaning serves as a reminder of him
This ain't no play on words
I am not speaking in euphemisms or figurative language
My love for him is absurd
My emotions are illogical and extreme
If he gave me a sign I'd think about it for a week
I would endlessly analyze any indication he gave me
I'd build it up and then I'd turn him down
I would create high expectations, only to ultimately reject him
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rosalindacaudillo3593
[Verse 1]
There is no way I'm looking for a boyfriend
There is no way I'm looking for a scene
I need to save some dough
I'm a working girl, you know
I'll fend attention off, I keep to myself
[Verse 2]
I love my room, I'm getting used to sleeping
Some nights I really like to lie awake
I hear the midnight birds
The message in their words
The dawn will touch me in a way a boy could never touch
Their promise never meant so much to me
[Chorus]
You have been warned, I'm born to be contrary
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
Teacher never cared for me
Preacher said a prayer for me
God help the girl
She needs all the help she can get
[Verse 3]
I sit for hours just waiting for his phone call
I'll eat the chocolate hidden in the fridge
I'll play his messages
Analyze his intonation
Please stop me there, I'm even boring myself
[Verse 4]
I think of him when I'm doing the dishes
I think of him while looking in the sink
This ain't no play on words
My love for him's absurd
If he gave me a sign, I'd think about it for a week
I'd build it up and then I'd turn him down
[Chorus]
You have been warned, I'm born to be contrary
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
Teacher never cared for me
Preacher said a prayer for me
God help the girl
She needs all the help she can get
@Slingblade87
Almost 2 years later, this is still totally Jemma Simmons' theme song in my mind. It just fits her so well.
@erwan5851
Slingblade87 So do I 😍 !
@jonathanolowinsky1493
This/she is the only reason why I searched for this song
@stevenangel8235
^^^!!! All my Shield fans out there!!!
@miiniimiiniijpeg
The reason I’m here
@TheMeriot1
Seriously love that show
@rosalindacaudillo3593
[Verse 1]
There is no way I'm looking for a boyfriend
There is no way I'm looking for a scene
I need to save some dough
I'm a working girl, you know
I'll fend attention off, I keep to myself
[Verse 2]
I love my room, I'm getting used to sleeping
Some nights I really like to lie awake
I hear the midnight birds
The message in their words
The dawn will touch me in a way a boy could never touch
Their promise never meant so much to me
[Chorus]
You have been warned, I'm born to be contrary
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
Teacher never cared for me
Preacher said a prayer for me
God help the girl
She needs all the help she can get
[Verse 3]
I sit for hours just waiting for his phone call
I'll eat the chocolate hidden in the fridge
I'll play his messages
Analyze his intonation
Please stop me there, I'm even boring myself
[Verse 4]
I think of him when I'm doing the dishes
I think of him while looking in the sink
This ain't no play on words
My love for him's absurd
If he gave me a sign, I'd think about it for a week
I'd build it up and then I'd turn him down
[Chorus]
You have been warned, I'm born to be contrary
Backward at school, I wrote from right to left
Teacher never cared for me
Preacher said a prayer for me
God help the girl
She needs all the help she can get
@Raidoven
i thought this was a band from the 60's based on how this sounds, but I'm so glad the people who made this are current so they can produce more gold!
@bullymaguire6234
The voices of these girls are priceless. This project deserved more attention and more albums. I love the 50s vibes that come from this album. Please restart this project
@declancochran2882
I'm a first year at a British university, in halls. When I first came to halls, there was this one girl who, it was clear, was troubled. A lovely person for sure, but skittish, shy, and she had this wild-eyed, terrified demeanour about her. It turns out that she was a self-harmer. Me and a few others would, a few times, stay up until the sun began to rise making sure that she was okay, calling for ambulances, and so on. It was, and no disrespect to this poor girl, a horrible time for us all, our studies suffered and it really hit us hard. We all wanted to help her as best we could, but as it went on it became clear that nothing we could do was going to help.
In the end, with that girl, we had to distance ourselves, and we contacted the girl's parents when it became clear that the uni's hands were tied and they weren't going to. She's okay now, it seems, and we bump into her occasionally.
But at the tail-end of it all, I was on the phone to my mother, who is a devout Christian, where I'm agnostic, and she promised to say a prayer for this girl at her service this weekend, and get the whole congregation to pray for her. And this song, from nowhere, came into my head. And now I can't listen to this song without crying my eyes out. Because in quiet moments, when faced with how little there is that we could reasonably do, I just think to myself... God help this girl. She needs all the help she can get.