False Alarm
K T Tunstall Lyrics


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I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I drugged it in it's sleep
There isn't many memories I'm comfortable to keep
This ball keeps rolling on
It's heading for the street
Keep expecting you to send for me
The invitation never comes
Each time I turn around
There's nothing there at all
So tell me why I feel like
I'm up against a wall

But maybe it's a false alarm
And every answer sounds the same
Just colors bleeding into one that hasn't got a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

Another curtains coming up
The audience is still
I'm struggling to cater for
The space I'm meant to fill
And distance doesn't care
No distance doesn't care

Each time I turn around
There's nothing there at all
So tell me why I feel like
I'm up against a wall

But maybe it's a false alarm
And every answer sounds the same
Just colors bleeding into one that hasn't got a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I drugged it in it's sleep
Remember what you said.




Are you comfortable to keep it?
Keep it?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of K T Tunstall's song False Alarm reveal a narrator who is struggling to move on from a past relationship. She mentions drugging the past in its sleep, indicating that she has tried to forget and move on from the pain of the past. However, she also admits that there are very few memories from the past that she is comfortable holding onto. The ball keeps rolling on, indicating that despite her efforts to move on, she can't escape the past. She still expects an invitation from her ex to reconnect, but it never comes.


The singer feels like she is up against a wall because every time she turns around, nothing changes. Even though she wants closure, she can't seem to find it. She questions whether her feelings are a false alarm, and maybe she can't see things clearly. The last stanza talks about the curtains coming up, and the audience is waiting. This indicates that the singer feels like she is on display and needs to fill the space with her feelings. But the distance never cares, and she can't seem to get over the past.


Overall, this song is an emotional depiction of someone trying to move on from a past relationship. The lyrics convey a sense of confusion, pain, and hopelessness that anyone who has experienced heartbreak can relate to.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm trying to put this thing to bed
I'm trying to resolve this issue


I drugged it in its sleep
I avoided dealing with the issue


There isn't many memories I'm comfortable to keep
There are some memories that are too painful to remember


This ball keeps rolling on, it's heading for the street
This problem keeps getting worse, it's going to be out of control


Keep expecting you to send for me, the invitation never comes
I keep waiting for someone to ask for my help, but it never happens


Each time I turn around, there's nothing there at all
Whenever I try to solve this problem, I find nothing helpful


So tell me why I feel like I'm up against a wall
I feel stuck and unable to make progress


But maybe it's a false alarm and every answer sounds the same
Maybe my concerns are unfounded, and everyone's solutions sound the same


Just colors bleeding into one that hasn't got a name
All of these solutions look the same, and none of them are working


Maybe I can't see, maybe it's just me
Maybe I'm the one who's not seeing the solution


Another curtains coming up, the audience is still
Another situation is happening, but nobody is doing anything about it


I'm struggling to cater for the space I'm meant to fill
I'm having trouble fulfilling my role in this situation


And distance doesn't care, no distance doesn't care
No matter how far away I am from this problem, it still affects me


Remember what you said. Are you comfortable to keep it? Keep it?
Do you still stand by what you said? Can you handle the consequences of your words?




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATIE TUNSTALL, KT TUNSTALL, MARTIN TEREFE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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