Crumblin' Down
John Mellencamp Lyrics

Some people ain't no damn good
There are people in this world whose behavior and characteristics are not good.

You can't trust 'em, you can't love em
These people cannot be trusted or loved under any circumstances.

No good deed goes unpunished
Sometimes when we do something good, it doesn't have a positive outcome and can even lead to punishment.

And I don't mind being their whipping boy
The artist is used to being punished because of the aforementioned people and it doesn't bother them anymore.

I've had that pleasure for years and years
The artist has been punished for a long time and sees it as a normal occurrence.

No, no I never was a sinner-tell me what else can I do
The singer is suggesting that they are not perfect, but have done nothing to deserve the punishment they receive.

Second best is what you get-till you learn to bend this rules
If we don't follow the rules, we might end up settling for less than what we deserve.

Time respects no person-what you lift up must fall
Regardless of who we are, time will eventually bring us down and nothing lasts forever.

They're waiting outside-to claim my crumblin' walls
The people who have been punishing the artist are now waiting for them to fall apart and fail.

Saw my picture in the paper
The artist's photo has appeared in the newspaper, possibly for something negative.

Read the news around my face
People are making assumptions about the singer based on what they see in the news.

And now some people
As a result of the newspaper article, some people's opinions of the artist have changed.

Don't want to treat me the same
These people are no longer treating the singer with the same respect or kindness as before.

When the walls come tumblin' down
This phrase is repeated throughout the song and represents a metaphorical collapse of the singer's life and reputation.

Some people say I'm obnoxious and lazy
Impressions of the singer's character have changed and some people now view them as negative.

That I'm uneducated and my opinion means nothin'
In addition to being seen as lazy and obnoxious, some people also think the artist is uneducated and their opinion is not valuable.

But I know I'm a real good dancer
Regardless of what people say about the artist, they know and take pride in their talents.

Don't need to look over my shoulder to see what I'm after
The singer knows what they want and doesn't need permission or approval from anyone else to pursue it.

Everybody's got their problems-ain't no new news here
The singer acknowledges that everyone has problems, so their situation is not unique.

I'm the same old trouble you've been having for years
The artist realizes that their bad reputation is nothing new and they have always been a problem for some people.

Don't confuse the problem with the issue, girl,
The artist wants to clarify that there is a difference between the problem they pose and the actual issue at hand.

'Cause it's perfectly clear
The artist feels that the difference is obvious and should not be confused.

Just a human desire to have you come near
The singer admits to having a basic desire for human connection and wants someone to be close to them.

Want to put my arms around you
The artist has an urge to embrace someone.

Feel your breath in my ear
The singer wants to experience the intimacy of having someone close enough to feel their breath on their ear.

You can bend me, you can break me
The singer is willing to be vulnerable and put themselves out there to form a connection, even if it means they can be hurt.

But you better stand clear
Despite their willingness to be vulnerable, the singer warns that the other person should still be cautious around them.