Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izzy_Stradlin
Studio albums
117° (1998)
Ride On (1999)
River (2001)
On Down the Road (2002)
Like a Dog (2005)
Miami (2007)
Fire, the Acoustic Album (2007)
Concrete (2008)
Smoke (2009)
Wave of Heat (2010)
What I Told You
Izzy Stradlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should have left it all alone
I'm not sure where you went wrong
Should have left it back at home
You could have left it back at home
I'm sure it's illegal where you're goin'
Don't really need it - leave it alone
Should have left it back at home
What I told you
What I told you, hell
What I told you
What I told you, hell
What I told you
What I told you, hell
What I told you
What I told you, hell
There's a roadblock and you're done
Should have left it back at home
Your ride's over, no more fun
Should have left it back at home
Should have left it back at home
Should have left it back at home
Should have left it back at home
The lyrics of Izzy Stradlin's song "What I Told You" condemn the carrying of weapons and its inevitable consequences. The song begins with the admonition "You should have left that gun at home" repeated twice before proceeding to assert that the individual in question made a mistake and should have left their weapon at home. The singer is not certain where the person went wrong, but is sure that they should have left their gun back at home. The chorus echoes this statement, repeating the phrase "What I told you" and emphasizing that the person should have heeded the advice given to them.
The second verse continues this thread, suggesting that carrying the weapon was not necessary, and that it may even be illegal where they are going. The chorus is repeated, again emphasizing the fact that the person should have left their gun back at home. The final verse suggests the consequences of carrying a weapon - a roadblock that brings the individual's journey to an end. And again, the chorus is repeated, emphasizing the importance of heeding what they were told in the first place.
Line by Line Meaning
You should have left that gun at home
You could have avoided trouble by not bringing a gun with you
Should have left it all alone
You should not have taken the gun with you
I'm not sure where you went wrong
I'm confused as to why you thought bringing a gun was a good idea
Should have left it back at home
You should have kept the gun at home instead of bringing it with you
You could have left it back at home
You had the option to leave the gun at home
I'm sure it's illegal where you're goin'
Bringing a gun may be illegal where you are headed
Don't really need it - leave it alone
You don't need the gun, so you should just forget about it
What I told you
This is what I warned you about
What I told you, hell
I was serious when I warned you
There's a roadblock and you're done
You have encountered a roadblock, and your situation appears to be over
Your ride's over, no more fun
You have come to a stop, and any enjoyment or excitement you were experiencing is gone
Should have left it back at home
Again, keeping the gun at home would have prevented this situation
Should have left it back at home
Bringing a gun did not benefit you and only caused trouble
Should have left it back at home
The best course of action would have been to keep the gun at home
Contributed by Lucy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.