The four-piece's commercial breakthrough came with the successful release of several singles from the album Bleed American (2001). Four singles from the album charted within the Top 20 positions of the Alternative Songs chart, with "The Middle" reaching the #1 position. Jimmy Eat World's follow-up album Futures (2004) featured another Alternative number one song, "Pain". The RIAA certified Bleed American platinum and Futures gold, rewarding the two albums for selling over one and a half million records between them. The band's sixth album, Chase This Light (2007), became their highest charting album, peaking at number five on the Billboard 200.
Discography:
1994 - Jimmy Eat World
1996 - Static Prevails
1999 - Clarity
2001 - Bleed American
2004 - Futures
2007 - Chase This Light
2010 - Invented
2013 - Damage
2016 - Integrity Blues
2019 - Surviving
Band members:
Jim Adkins – vocals, guitar
Zach Lind – drums
Tom Linton – guitar, vocals
Rick Burch – bass
http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/.
If You Don't Don't
Jimmy Eat World Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't they treat you like they should?
Did you take 'em for it?
For every penny that you could?
We once walked out on the beach
And once I almost touched your hand
Oh, how I dreamed to finally say such things
Don't you know I'm thinking? (Know I'm thinking)
Driving 405 past midnight
Know I miss you? (don't you know that I miss you?)
Ninth and Ash on a Tuesday night
I would write to you from Museum Mile
A toast to you
Your whisper
Your smile
Up the stairs at the Weatherford
A ghost each place I hide
If you don't, don't know
Why'd ya say so?
Would you mean this please if it happens?
If you don't know
Why would ya say so?
Won't you get your story straight?
If you don't know, honey
Won't you just say so?
'Cause I need this now
More than I ever did
If you don't well, honey
Then you don't
I left you waiting (I know I left you waiting)
At the least could we be friends?
Should have never started (never started)
Ain't that the way it always ends?
On my life, I'll try today
There's so much I've felt I should say but
Even if your heart would listen
I doubt I could explain
If you don't, don't know
Why'd ya say so?
Would you mean this please if it happens?
If you don't know
Why would ya say so?
Won't you get your story straight?
If you don't know, honey
Won't you just say so?
'Cause I need this now
More than I ever did, did
If you don't well, honey
Then you don't
If you don't, well honey
Then you don't
(Do, do, do, do)
(Do, do, do, do)
(Do, do, do, do)
(Do, do, do, do)
So here we are now
A sip of wine
A sip of water
Someday maybe
Maybe someday
We'll be smarter
And I'm sorry that I'm such a mess
I drank all my money could get
I took everything you let me have
And then I never loved you back
If you don't, don't know
Why'd ya say so?
Would you mean this please if it happens?
If you don't know
Why would ya say so?
Won't you get your story straight?
If you don't know, honey
Won't you just say so?
'Cause I need this now
Yeah, need this, need this
If you don't well, honey
Then you don't
If you don't, don't, well honey
Then you don't
If you don't, well honey
Then you don't
If you don't know, honey
Honey, then you don't
The song "If You Don't, Don't" by Jimmy Eat World is about a past relationship where the singer is reaching out to his former lover, hoping to reconnect with her. In the first verse, he asks if she's been mistreated and if she's taken advantage of financially. He then reminisces about times they spent together, and how he wishes he had told her how he truly feels. The chorus repeats the title phrase, asking if she truly knows how she feels and if she's willing to commit to their relationship. The second verse has the singer reflecting on his regrets about their relationship and apologizing for how he treated her. The song ends with a glimmer of hope for the future, with the singer speculating that maybe someday they'll be smarter.
The lyrics suggest a longing for connection and a desire to make things right, but also an acknowledgement that the relationship has not been perfect. The singer seems to be hoping for a second chance, but also recognizes that it may not be possible. The driving guitar and pounding drums add to the emotion and intensity of the song, amplifying the sense of urgency in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
What's wrong baby?
Asking the person if something is wrong
Don't they treat you like they should?
Wondering if the person is not being treated with the respect they deserve
Did you take 'em for it?
Asking if the person got everything they could out of the situation
For every penny that you could?
Wondering if the person took full advantage of the opportunity
We once walked out on the beach
Remembering a past moment with the person
And once I almost touched your hand
Recalling a moment of hesitation and missed opportunity
Oh, how I dreamed to finally say such things
Reflecting on past desires to express feelings
Then only to pretend
Realizing that it never actually happened
Don't you know I'm thinking? (Know I'm thinking)
Letting the person know that they are on the artist's mind
Driving 405 past midnight
Describing a specific moment in time
Know I miss you? (don't you know that I miss you?)
Expressing feelings of missing the person
Ninth and Ash on a Tuesday night
Adding detail to the specific moment in time previously mentioned
I would write to you from Museum Mile
Fantasizing about a different reality where the person and the singer are still in contact
A toast to you
Expressing a sentiment of making a tribute to the person
Your whisper
Remembering the sound of the person's whisper
Your smile
Recalling the image of the person's smile
Up the stairs at the Weatherford
Referencing a specific location in the past
A ghost each place I hide
Feeling haunted by memories of the past with the person
If you don't, don't know
Why'd ya say so?
Asking the person why they would say something if they are not sure about it
Would you mean this please if it happens?
Questioning the person's sincerity about their words
Won't you get your story straight?
Asking the person to clarify their thoughts and feelings
If you don't know, honey
Won't you just say so?
Encouraging the person to be honest about their uncertainty
'Cause I need this now
More than I ever did
Expressing a sense of urgency and importance about the situation
I left you waiting (I know I left you waiting)
Acknowledging a past mistake on the artist's part
At the least could we be friends?
Asking if a friendship is possible despite the circumstances
Should have never started (never started)
Regretting the beginning of a relationship that has now ended
Ain't that the way it always ends?
Reflecting on the common pattern of relationships ending
On my life, I'll try today
Making a promise to take action
There's so much I've felt I should say but
Acknowledging the weight of unsaid words
Even if your heart would listen
Expressing doubt that even if the person would listen, they would not understand
I doubt I could explain
Feeling unsure about the singer's ability to articulate their feelings
So here we are now
A sip of wine
A sip of water
Painting a picture of a specific moment in time
Someday maybe
Maybe someday
We'll be smarter
Hoping that one day they will look back on this situation and learn from it
And I'm sorry that I'm such a mess
Apologizing for the state of the artist's life
I drank all my money could get
Admitting to a problem with alcohol
I took everything you let me have
Recognizing the person's role in the artist's life
And then I never loved you back
Admitting to a failure to reciprocate the person's feelings
If you don't well, honey
Then you don't
Acknowledging that the person's feelings may not still exist
If you don't know, honey
Honey, then you don't
Stressing the importance of being honest about one's feelings
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: James Christopher Adkins, Richard E Burch, Thomas Darrell Linton, Zachary Michel Lind
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind