The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
Kidding Me
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what a world
You were always looking for attention,
I was holding on to my abandonment obsession
In hindsight I was just as ignorant as you were,
Blinded by the "you" word combined by the sutures
Good-bye to the cruel world, you had to be out,
And I caught you with another dudes in your mouth
How'd life teach you all the little tricks you pulled on me?
Hopelessly passionate, openly act as if everything is all my fault – no sacrifice
Nah, I should've seen it from the start, you're bed-dress laying on the floor in the dark
You were everything I wanted but nothing that I needed
My sexy little piece of shit demon, leaving
I used to say that I loved you
I used to act like a fool
But now I hear that you're wondering, if the girl I run with
Is treating me cool
You fucking gotta be kidding me
Look at all that you did to me
Why the hell would you be wondering who's kissing me now?
You fucking gotta be kidding me
Look at all that you did to me
Why the hell would you be wondering who's kissing me now?
Last time I had a thought like this I was locked in my room with a bottle in my fist
What a world
I was trying to pick apart the pieces, even moved to Cali with you, living by the beaches
Egregious
Made a dude want to find Jesus, huddled in bunker with nothing but canned peaches
If I was a weaker man I would've broke down,
The second I caught you getting your sex around town
God-damn, what a hell of a ride, Cinderella got drunk and started spreading her thighs
The fairy tale's over, after telling me lies
Became a rock in the belly of the reason we fight
Yeah, I should've seen it from the jump,
I should've shut the door on your face and called you a
Everything I wanted, but nothing that I needed
My sexy little piece of shit creampie, biatch
I used to say that I loved you
I used to act like a fool
But now I hear that you're wondering, if the girl I run with
Is treating me cool
You fucking gotta be kidding me, look at all that you did to me
Why the hell would you be wondering who's kissing me now?
You fucking gotta be kidding me
Look at all that you did to me
Why the hell would you be wondering who's kissing me now?
The song "Kidding Me" by Grieves revolves around the singer's failed relationship with his partner. The verses showcase the contrasting personalities and behavior of the pair. The singer was holding onto his abandonment issues while his partner was seeking attention. It is clear that the relationship was toxic and built on ignorance, which is highlighted in the line, "In hindsight, I was just as ignorant as you were." The relationship ends with the partner cheating on the singer, leaving him shocked and hurt.
In the chorus of the song, the singer expresses his disbelief and frustration at his partner's audacity to ask him about his new love interest while she caused him so much pain. The lyrics, "Why the hell would you be wondering who's kissing me now?" and "You fucking gotta be kidding me, look at all that you did to me" showcase the singer's feelings of betrayal and anger towards his ex-partner. Overall, the song highlights the pain and complications of a failed relationship that is rooted in toxicity and disrespect.
Line by Line Meaning
Last time I wrote a song like this I was drunk off the last words out of your lips
The last time I expressed my feelings through music was when I was intoxicated by what you last said to me
And what a world
What an experience that was
You were always looking for attention,
You had an insatiable desire to be noticed
I was holding on to my abandonment obsession
I had a persistent fear of being left behind
In hindsight I was just as ignorant as you were,
Looking back, I realize that I was just as clueless as you were
Blinded by the 'you' word combined by the sutures
I was deceived by the power of the word 'you,' which held us together despite our flaws
Good-bye to the cruel world, you had to be out,
I had to say goodbye to the unforgiving world that we created
And I caught you with another dudes in your mouth
I witnessed you cheating on me with another man
Goddamn little lady, how'd you get so cold?
I can't believe how heartless and distant you've become
How'd life teach you all the little tricks you pulled on me?
Where did you learn all the manipulative tactics you used on me?
Hopelessly passionate, openly act as if everything is all my fault – no sacrifice
Despite my hopeless love for you, you constantly blamed me for everything without giving up anything yourself
Nah, I should've seen it from the start, you're bed-dress laying on the floor in the dark
I should have noticed the red flags from the beginning, like your messy bed and clothes on the floor
You were everything I wanted but nothing that I needed
You had all the qualities I desired, but none of the ones I truly needed
My sexy little piece of shit demon, leaving
You were my irresistible but toxic partner who is now gone
I used to say that I loved you
I used to proclaim my love for you
I used to act like a fool
I used to behave irrationally and foolishly because of my infatuation with you
But now I hear that you're wondering, if the girl I run with Is treating me cool
But now I hear that you're curious if my current partner is treating me well
You fucking gotta be kidding me, look at all that you did to me
You must be joking to ask such a question, considering all the harm you caused me
Why the hell would you be wondering who's kissing me now?
Why would you care who's with me now, after everything you did?
Last time I had a thought like this I was locked in my room with a bottle in my fist
The last time I had similar thoughts, I was alone in my room with a bottle of alcohol in my hand
I was trying to pick apart the pieces, even moved to Cali with you, living by the beaches
I was attempting to understand what went wrong, even relocating to California with you to live by the beach
Egregious, Made a dude want to find Jesus, huddled in bunker with nothing but canned peaches
It was a terrible situation that made me feel like I needed divine intervention, holed up in a bunker with only canned food
If I was a weaker man I would've broke down,
If I were less resilient, I would have crumbled under the weight of the situation
The second I caught you getting your sex around town
As soon as I discovered you were sleeping around with others
God-damn, what a hell of a ride, Cinderella got drunk and started spreading her thighs
What a tumultuous relationship it was, like a drunken Cinderella opening herself up to anyone
The fairy tale's over, after telling me lies Became a rock in the belly of the reason we fight
The fairytale romance has ended, after you lied to me and created a continuous source of conflict
Yeah, I should've seen it from the jump, I should've shut the door on your face and called you a
I should have recognized the warning signs from the beginning and rejected you from my life
Everything I wanted, but nothing that I needed
You seemed like the ideal partner, but you lacked the essential qualities I required
My sexy little piece of shit creampie, biatch
You were my alluring, yet undesirable ex-partner
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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