Growing up in Seattle, at the age of fifteen Jen Wood formed her first band… Read Full Bio ↴Growing up in Seattle, at the age of fifteen Jen Wood formed her first band, Tattle Tale. In the band's first three years together they recorded two full-length records - a self-titled demo (1993) and a now-rare out-of-print disc called Sew True (1995) - and toured the U.S. West Coast.

Jen then set out on her own and recorded her first solo album, No More Wading, followed by Getting Past the Static, Post Marked Stamps No. 6 (a split 7" with Tim Kinsella), the This Uncontainable Light E.P., and her most-recent work, Traveling through Roots. She also appeared in the hit Nothing Better by The Postal Service as a guest vocalist.

Wood's music is heavy in rich acoustic sounds, incredible harmonies, deep lyrics, and soft, calming vocals.

Fitting Into Fake
Jen Wood Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You could be like the rest of us,
Liquored up for every occasion.
Sure sounds nice to feel unaffected.

Can't you see,
My heart is racing away
From the new hands
That I've been shaking.

Hello, your business
Is what I dont miss these days,
These days,
These days,
These days.

I can tell you're quite like me
By the way you scanned the room
So damn fast,
Anxious to find an exit.

I don't dare to touch this talking.
In this big room,
Everyone can hear me think.

And you know,
I can't fake it for them.

And you know,
I can't fake it for them.

Overall Meaning

The song Fitting Into Fake by Jen Wood is an introspective piece that delves into the pressures of conformity and the desire to fit in. The opening lines suggest that society expects people to drink and party on every occasion, and it is considered 'nice' to be unaffected by this excessive lifestyle. However, the singer is aware of the toll it takes on her heart and mental health. She feels like her actions are not her own and that her decisions are influenced by external factors. The next part of the song talks about meeting someone who she believes is just like her, and the anxiety of trying to fit in and making small talk. She is aware that even her thoughts are not private in a room full of strangers. Ultimately, the singer concludes that she cannot pretend to be someone she is not, especially for others' sake.

The song's lyrics suggest that conformity and fitting in can be exhausting and take a toll on a person's mental health. Jen Wood's introspective tone and the raw honesty of her lyrics make this song relatable to anyone who has ever felt the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The song's melody and slow tempo contribute to the sombre mood it evokes.

Line by Line Meaning

You could be like the rest of us,
You have the choice to conform like everyone else, always drinking and partying.

Liquored up for every occasion.
Drinking on every single occasion.

Sure sounds nice to feel unaffected.
It might sound cool to be unbothered by anything because of drinking, but that's not true in reality.

Can't you see,
Can't you realize that...

My heart is racing away
I'm nervous and anxious.

From the new hands
From new people's hands...

That I've been shaking.
...that I've been shaking hands with.

Hello, your business
Hi there, whatever you're doing or saying...

Is what I dont miss these days,
...is something I don't want or need anymore.

These days,

These days.