Mean to Me
June Christy Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You're mean to me
Why must you be mean to me?
Gee, honey, it seems to me
You love to see me cryin'

I don't know why
I stay home each night
When you say you phone
You don't and I'm left alone.

Sing the blues and sighin'
You treat me coldly each day in the year
You always scold me

Whenever somebody is near, dear
I must be great fun to be mean to me




You shouldn't, for can't you see
What you mean to me

Overall Meaning

The song "Mean to Me" by June Christy and The Kentones is a melancholic lament by a lover who is being treated with coldness and indifference. The lyrics clearly express the pain that the singer is going through due to the actions of their partner. The singer questions why their lover consistently treats them badly and appears to take pleasure in seeing them cry. They also express their confusion about why they continue to stay with their partner even though they are constantly let down and left alone.


The lyrics further illustrate the depth of the singer's hurt and disappointment through the use of vivid imagery. The singer feels like they are always singing the blues and sighing due to their partner's cold treatment. They hint at how their self-esteem has also been affected from the constant scolding they receive from their partner whenever someone else is around. The singer acknowledges that their partner's need to be mean to them is most likely due to some underlying reason, but pleads with them to see the pain they are causing and to stop hurting them.


Overall, "Mean to Me" is a moving song with lyrics that show the complexities of love and the pain that can come with it. The song is a timeless classic that has been covered by other famous singers such as Billie Holiday and Linda Ronstadt.


Line by Line Meaning

You're mean to me
You show me cruelty and negativity.


Why must you be mean to me?
What is the reason for your hostile, negative behavior towards me?


Gee, honey, it seems to me
It appears to me, dear, that you enjoy witnessing my sadness and tears.


You love to see me cryin'
You take pleasure in observing my crying and despair.


I don't know why
I am unaware of the reason.


I stay home each night
I spend my nights at home.


When you say you phone
When you claim that you will call me on the phone.


You don't and I'm left alone.
You fail to do so, and I am left by myself.


Sing the blues and sighin'
I express my emotions by singing the blues and letting out a heavy sigh.


You treat me coldly each day in the year
Every single day of the year, you treat me with a distant, unfeeling attitude.


You always scold me
You consistently berate and scold me.


Whenever somebody is near, dear
Whenever someone is nearby, my dear.


I must be great fun to be mean to me
I imagine that it is highly amusing for someone to be consistently unkind to me.


You shouldn't, for can't you see
You really should not, can you not perceive


What you mean to me
The depth of significance and emotion that you hold in my life.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, T.R.O. INC., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EMERSON HART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Barbara Coultas

It definitely sounds like June Christy to me; her voice has that husky tone she was famous for, plus her pronunciation is always recognizable. 

Trombonology Erstwhile

Terrific record! I always enjoy the sides that those who gained fame as big band singers made with smaller groups; they're always looser and tend to show a different quality in the vocalist.

womo1988

June Christy ist eine grossartige Sängerin und es macht immer wieder Freude, sie zu hören. Danke und Grüsse von womo1988.

hawkrider88

This sure sounds like Anita O'day to me. Sure this is June Christy?

More Versions