Substitute
Great White Lyrics


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You think we look pretty good together?
You think my jeans are made of leather?

But I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young but I'm just backdated
Substitute, your lies for fact
Substitute, I see right through that Satan crap
Substitute, I look all white but my dad was black
Substitute, my fine looking suit's really made out of sack

I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east and east was facing south
But now you dare to look me in the eye
Those are crocodile tears that you cry
A genuine problem you won't try
To work it out at all, just pass it by, pass it by

Substitute, me for him
Substitute, my coke for gin
Substitute, you for my mom
Substitute, at least I'll get my washing done

But I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young but I'm just backdated

I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east and east was facing south
But now you dare to look me in the eye
Those are crocodile tears that you cry
A genuine problem you won't try
To work it out at all, just pass it by, pass it by

Substitute, your lies for fact
Substitute, I see right through that Satan crap
Substitute, I look all white but my dad was black
Substitute, my fine looking suit's really made out of sack

Substitute, me for him
Substitute, my coke for gin




Substitute, you for my mom
Substitute, at least I'll get my washing done

Overall Meaning

The song "Substitute" by Great White is a commentary on the facades that people put up in order to hide their true selves. The first stanza tackles how people present themselves in the dating scene - the singer acknowledges that he and his partner might look good together, with the latter admiring his supposed leather jeans. However, the singer reveals that he is a substitute for another guy, and all the simple things that seem straightforward in their relationship are complicated. The singer may seem young, but he is actually outdated, and his high heels make him appear tall.


The second stanza of the song delves deeper into the idea of how people present themselves. The singer calls out his partner's lies and equates them to Satanism. He also reveals that while he appears white, his dad was actually black, and the fine suit he wears is made of sackcloth. The singer then describes his own background of being born with a plastic spoon in his mouth and how the north side of his town faced east while east faced south, which he believes contributed to the effort of people to put up a false front.


Finally, the chorus of the song repeats the idea of substitution, with the singer offering to substitute himself for another man, his coke for gin, and even his partner for his mom to get his washing done. It is clear that the singer is disillusioned with the societal norms that encourage people to put up pretenses and masks to hide their true selves.


Line by Line Meaning

You think we look pretty good together?
The persona addresses their partner and questions their physical appeal.


You think my jeans are made of leather?
The persona asks if their partner is impressed with their dress style.


But I'm a substitute for another guy
The persona divulges that they are replacing another person in their partner's life.


I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The persona reveals that their elevated status is not genuine but rather is aided by external support.


The simple things you see are all complicated
The persona implies that appearances can be deceiving and that things may not always be as they seem.


I look pretty young but I'm just backdated
The persona admits to being old-fashioned despite appearing youthful.


Substitute, your lies for fact
The persona urges their partner to replace their falsehoods with the truth.


Substitute, I see right through that Satan crap
The persona admits to being aware of their partner's deceptive tactics and claims to see through them.


Substitute, I look all white but my dad was black
The persona reveals that their racial identity does not correspond with their physical appearance.


Substitute, my fine looking suit's really made out of sack
The persona admits that their clothing may not be as high-quality as it appears.


I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The persona declares that they were not born into privilege.


The north side of my town faced east and east was facing south
The persona describes a confusing or disorienting aspect of their background.


But now you dare to look me in the eye
The persona expresses surprise that their partner can confront them after being deceitful.


Those are crocodile tears that you cry
The persona accuses their partner of feigning regret or sorrow.


A genuine problem you won't try
The persona suggests that their partner is avoiding a real issue in their relationship.


To work it out at all, just pass it by, pass it by
The persona indicates that their partner is not willing to work on their relationship.


Substitute, me for him
The persona proposes that their partner replace the other person in their life with them.


Substitute, my coke for gin
The persona proposes that their partner replace one of their vices with theirs.


Substitute, you for my mom
The persona proposes that their partner replace their mother in their life.


Substitute, at least I'll get my washing done
The persona proposes that their partner replace their mother in performing domestic duties for them.




Contributed by Ava B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Kristina


on Once Bitten, Twice Shy

50 here and the 80's still rock!!!

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