Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Joe Jackson Lyrics
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From my window I'm staring while my coffee goes cold
Look over there (where?)
There, there's a lady that I used to know
She's married now, or engaged, or something, so I am told
Is she really going out with him?
Is she really gonna take him home tonight?
'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me
There's something going wrong around here
Tonight's the night when I go to all the parties down my street
I wash my hair and I kid myself I look real smooth
Look over there (where?)
There, here comes Jeanie with her new boyfriend
They say that looks don't count for much
If so, there goes your proof
Is she really going out with him?
Is she really gonna take him home tonight?
Is she really going out with him?
'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me
There's something going wrong around here
Around here
But if looks could kill
There's a man there who's more down as dead
'Cause I've had my fill
Listen you, take your hands from her head
I get so mean around this scene
Hey, hey, hey
Is she really going out with him?
Is she really gonna take him home tonight?
Is she really going out with him?
'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me
There's something going wrong around here
Around here
Something going wrong around here
Something going wrong around here
Something going wrong around here
Something going wrong around
In Joe Jackson's Is She Really Going Out With Him, the singer is looking out of his window and observing women walking down the street with rather unattractive men. He sees a lady whom he used to know and discovers that she is now engaged or married. The question that keeps ringing in his head is whether she is really going out with him, the man she is currently with. As the song progresses, we learn that our protagonist is getting ready to attend some parties and is hopeful that he looks good. He sees Jeanie with her new boyfriend and becomes angry, feeling that looks don't count for much in the relationship. Nonetheless, the climax of the song is when he sees a man with the girl he wants to be with, and he ultimately gets aggressive, telling the man to take his hands off her head.
The song talks about how love is not just about discerning pretty faces and looks, but the love people share. It is a song about jealousy, envy, and how one feels about someone they genuinely care about but cannot be with. The song carries a lot of emotions and expectations that can be exhibited in those who are in the same situation. The lyrics paint a picture of confusion about why the lady would be with an unattractive man. It conveys the singer's emotions, how he feels, and his angst at the world, which feels unusual and goes against his desire to be with the girl he truly loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty women out walking with gorillas down my street
I'm seeing attractive women walking with less attractive men down my street
From my window I'm staring while my coffee goes cold
I'm staring at them from my window, even though my coffee is getting cold
Look over there (where?)
I'm pointing out to someone to look at something
There, there's a lady that I used to know
The lady I'm looking at is someone I used to know
She's married now, or engaged, or something, so I am told
I've heard that the lady is now in a committed relationship
Is she really going out with him?
I'm wondering if the attractive woman is really going out with the less attractive man
Is she really gonna take him home tonight?
I'm questioning if they will be going home together tonight
'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me
There's something going wrong around here
If what I'm seeing is true, then there's something not quite right happening in my neighborhood
Tonight's the night when I go to all the parties down my street
I usually go to parties on nights like this
I wash my hair and I kid myself I look real smooth
I'm trying to look my best tonight, even if it's just in my own head
Here comes Jeanie with her new boyfriend
I see my friend Jeanie coming with her new boyfriend
They say that looks don't count for much
If so, there goes your proof
People say that looks aren't everything, but here's an example that proves otherwise
But if looks could kill
There's a man there who's more down as dead
If looks could cause harm, the less attractive man would be dead
'Cause I've had my fill
Listen you, take your hands from her head
I've had enough of this situation, so I'm telling the man to stop touching the woman
I get so mean around this scene
Hey, hey, hey
I get angry and defensive in situations like this
Something going wrong around here
Something going wrong around here
There's definitely something not quite right happening in my neighborhood
Something going wrong around here
Something going wrong around
There's definitely something not quite right happening in my neighborhood
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind