Read Full Bio ↴Hayden Calnin is an Australian singer-songwriter based in Melbourne.
The ink lines that would shape young, self-produced, singer/songwriter Hayden Calnin and his budding musical career were drawn in his teen years after his father gave him a guitar at age 14. He hasn’t gone a day since without playing it.
Dabbling in bands through his teen years led him to add drums and piano to his repertoire, until at the age of 17 he finally decided to give singing a go.
Calnin's guitar-driven sound is complemented by a selection of husky, honest harmonies and delicate folk-pop melodies.
Not Good For Me
Hayden Calnin Lyrics
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It's coming up quick
Drive right past it
Hold your breath
Clenching your fists
This is not the end of anything
There/s a girl next to me
Crying her eyes out
All the time
Speak a little louder
I can help you out if you want
But you are not good for me
Yeah you are not good for me
I see a red rose wrestle
the weeds outside
I could pick it for you
but the forest denies
So wait your turn and you'll get
something else
I see a dog barking backwards
It gave me a fright
I could calm him down
but the owner is right
He's a danger to the town
and he'll pack up real soon and leave
But you are not good for me
Yeah you are not good for me
And I…
I saw the fear
in your eye
You are not good
Not good for me
Yeah you are not good
Not good for me
Hayden Calnin's "Not Good For Me" is a mournful song that centers on the theme of unhealthy relationships. The song's protagonist reflects on the failures of his romantic relationship and how his partner was wrong for him in spite of how he felt. The lyrics begin with a description of a graveyard coming up quickly and passing it by, suggesting that something has died but that it is not the end of everything. A girl is also introduced next to the singer, crying endlessly, and he offers to help her out, but realizes that the girl is not good for him.
The singer then sees a red rose trying to break through the weeds outside, but it is ultimately unsuccessful, suggesting that some things are not meant to be. Similarly, the singer sees a dog barking backwards, and while he knows he can calm it down, the owner is right that it is a danger to the town, hence he will pack up and leave soon. The lyrics then conclude with the singer telling his partner that he saw the fear in her eyes and that she is not good for him.
Overall, the song is about the difficulty of ending a relationship and discerning the difference between right and wrong. The contradictory imagery of roses and weeds, and calm dogs and dangers underscore the themes of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a graveyard coming up
Approaching an inevitable bad situation
It's coming up quick
This situation is approaching rapidly
Drive right past it
Avoid the impending bad situation
Hold your breath
Bracing oneself for impact or difficulty
Clenching your fists
Tension and anxiety about the situation
This is not the end of anything
Despite the impending bad situation, there is still hope for the future
There's a girl next to me
Another person present in the situation
She feels like rain
The girl is sad and emotional
Crying her eyes out
The girl is openly expressing her sadness
All the time
The girl is continually upset
Speak a little louder
Offering to help the girl
I can help you out if you want
The artist is willing to assist the girl
But you are not good for me
Despite the willingness to help the girl, the singer recognizes the relationship is unhealthy
Yeah you are not good for me
Reiterating the harm in the relationship
I see a red rose wrestle
Observing a struggle or conflict
the weeds outside
The struggle is with something less desirable or beautiful
I could pick it for you
The artist has the ability to solve the conflict
but the forest denies
External factors prevent the singer from acting on this solution
So wait your turn and you'll get
Patience will eventually result in a better solution
something else
An alternative, more beneficial solution will arise
I see a dog barking backwards
Observing a strange and abnormal behavior
It gave me a fright
The abnormal behavior caused a sense of alarm
I could calm him down
The singer has the ability to reduce the alarm and fix the situation
but the owner is right
External factors prevent the artist from acting on this solution
He's a danger to the town
The strange behavior is harmful to the surrounding environment
and he'll pack up real soon and leave
The harmful behavior will eventually depart and the situation will improve
And I…
Beginning a personal reflection
I saw the fear
Observing another person's insecurity
in your eye
The insecurity was visible
You are not good
The relationship is harmful
Not good for me
The singer recognizes their own wellbeing is at stake
Yeah you are not good
Reiterating the harm in the relationship
Not good for me
Finalizing the recognition of the relationship's negative impact
Contributed by Alex S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.