One Big Lie
Hooverphonic Lyrics


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When I met you, you looked so smart
But being witty can feel so stupid
When I met you, I thought you were good at heart
But now I know you can't rely on Cupid

You seemed the honest type then I found out
You cannot trust someone who seems too perfect
All the time, all this time
I thought I loved you
I thought I loved you
All the time, all this time
I thought I loved you
I thought I loved you
But I was wrong

Your Blue Monday shirt looked so cool
A top disguise for the perfect fool
Your Ray-Bans were darker than the darkest night
A distraction from your anti-blue eyes

That seemed trustworthy, but then I found out
You can't rely on someone who seems perfect

All the time, all this time
I thought I loved you
I thought I loved you
All the time, all this time
I thought I loved you
I thought I loved you
But I was wrong

We can glue things back together
But the crack will stay visible
A spiderweb of lies will always remind me that

All the time, all this time
I thought I loved you
I thought I loved you

I thought I loved you
All this time, all this time
I thought I loved you
I thought I loved you
All this time
I loved you




I thought I loved you
But I was wrong

Overall Meaning

Hooverphonic's song "One" is a reflective piece about a past love that turned out to be unreliable and untrustworthy. The lyrics explore the initial attraction to the person and the realization that they were not who they seemed to be. The chorus repeats the phrase "All this time, I thought I loved you, but I was wrong," expressing the disappointment and regret of investing time and emotion into a relationship that ultimately failed.


The first stanza introduces the persona's disappointment in finding out that the person they thought was smart and good-hearted turned out to be not so genuine. The second stanza describes how the person's appearance was deceiving, with clothing and accessories that presented a "cool" attitude that was used as a cover for their own insecurities. The persona expresses a sense of confusion in these lines - despite being disappointed, they still thought they loved this person.


The third stanza is a metaphorical representation of how one can never fully forget a relationship that has failed, no matter how hard they try to put it back together. The cracks will always be present, reminding them of the disappointment and hurt that came with it.


Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on how we can fall in love with our idea of a person, rather than who they truly are, and the heartbreaking consequences that come with it.


Line by Line Meaning

When I met you, you looked so smart
I thought you were intelligent and perceptive when we first met


But being witty can feel so stupid
But I soon realized that being clever doesn't necessarily equate to being trustworthy


When I met you, I thought you were good at heart
When we first met, I believed you had a kind heart


But now I know you can't rely on Cupid
However, I learned the hard way that love isn't always enough to build trust and commitment.


You seemed the honest type then I found out
Initially, you appeared like an honest person, but later I discovered otherwise.


You cannot trust someone who seems too perfect
I realized that it's hard to trust someone who always looks flawless, perfect and without flaws.


All the time, all this time I thought I loved you I thought I loved you
Throughout the relationship, I believed that I loved you


Your Blue Monday shirt looked so cool A top disguise for the perfect fool Your Ray-Bans were darker than the darkest night A distraction from your anti-blue eyes
Your clothing and accessories may seem stylish and trendy, but they are a cover-up for your true self and what you don't want to reveal.


That seemed trustworthy, but then I found out You can't rely on someone who seems perfect
You appeared trustworthy, but as I kept knowing more about you, I realized that perfection can be a facade and thus, it's hard to depend on someone's exterior appearance.


We can glue things back together But the crack will stay visible A spiderweb of lies will always remind me that
We may try to mend things, but we can never fully hide the damage in a relationship. The lies that you've told will always stay with me and serve as a constant reminder.


All this time I loved you I thought I loved you But I was wrong
Despite all this, I loved you for the longest time, but in the end, I realized that I was wrong about my feelings.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Maria Johan Callier

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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