After meeting as fellow students at the New England Conservatory in Boston, the band was hand picked by Minneapolis trumpet/guitar player Mike Olson and named after an actual neighborhood of seedy bars in his hometown. Vocalist Rachael Price came from outside Nashville, Tennessee, stand-up bassist Bridget Kearney was an Iowa native, while drummer Mike Calabrese called Philadelphia home. “I wasn’t only impressed with their musicianship,” says Olson, who acquired the nickname “McDuck” while at the conservatory for his reclusive ways. “They were also a lot of fun just to hang out with. The first four years of rehearsals were more like glorified dinner parties.”
Use Me Up
Lake Street Dive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well this trait I can't condone but I am told that in the state I acquiesce
Occasionally a man for free is exactly what I need
And how long has it been since I have given in to what I see was right in front of me?
Now I'm all alone and far from home and I don't always know what's good for me
The more time that we spend in my bed and you're playing with my head and I get turned Around, around, around, around
Cuz you use me up, and you wear me down when I'm ahead I get up when I'm led I'm found
And I'm this way and I'm that way cuz it's your way or the high way
When you're the kind of man that wants what he can't have and so he goes
I guess that I'm the same so who's to blame, just to say that I
Occasionally some room to breathe is exactly what I need
And how long has it been since I have had a friend that'll make me see what's right in Front of me
Now I'm all alone and far from home and I don't always know what's good for me.
The more time that we spend in my bed and you're playing with my head and I get turned Around around around.
Ooooh oooh oooh
Cuz you use me up
And you wear me down
When I'm ahead I give up
When I'm led I'm found
I'm this way and I'm that way cuz it's your way or the high way
Oh you use me up
And you wear me down
When I'm ahead I give up
When I'm led I'm found
I'm this way and I'm that way cuz it's your way or the high way
You use me up
You wear me down
You use me up
You wear me down
The lyrics to Lake Street Dive's "Use Me Up" allude to the toxic and turbulent nature of a relationship where one person, likely the singer, is constantly being taken advantage of by the other person. The song appears to address a man who takes what he wants without asking and does not have the singer's best interests at heart. Yet, despite knowing that this man is not good for her, the singer cannot resist his pull and continues to succumb to his charm. She acknowledges her weakness and inability to do what is necessary for her own happiness, admitting that she needs a break and time to breathe. The song ends with the repetition of the phrase "you use me up, and you wear me down," emphasizing the destructive nature of the relationship and the toll it has taken on the singer.
The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they seem to convey a message about the difficulties that arise within romantic relationships where one person holds all the power. The desperate desire to be loved and the fear of being alone can lead people to stay in situations that are not healthy or fulfilling. The singer is aware of this but cannot seem to escape the cycle, reflecting the complexities of love and human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
You're the kind of man that takes what he can and doesn't ask
You're the type of person that selfishly takes advantage of others without consent.
Well this trait I can't condone but I am told that in the state I acquiesce
Although I don't approve of this trait, I'm willing to go along with it due to external pressures.
Occasionally a man for free is exactly what I need
Sometimes I desire a relationship with no strings attached.
And how long has it been since I have given in to what I see was right in front of me?
When was the last time I gave in to what I wanted instead of being influenced by others?
Now I'm all alone and far from home and I don't always know what's good for me
I find myself isolated and unsure of myself, sometimes making poor decisions.
The more time that we spend in my bed and you're playing with my head and I get turned Around, around, around, around
The more intimate we become, the more you manipulate my emotions, driving me into a state of confusion.
Cuz you use me up, and you wear me down when I'm ahead I get up when I'm led I'm found
You drain my energy and make me feel exhausted. When I try to lead, you make me comply to your wishes.
And I'm this way and I'm that way cuz it's your way or the high way
I act according to your desires because you give me no other choice.
When you're the kind of man that wants what he can't have and so he goes
You're the type of person that yearns for what is unattainable and then moves on.
I guess that I'm the same so who's to blame, just to say that I
Perhaps I also behave like this, so we can't blame anyone.
Occasionally some room to breathe is exactly what I need
Sometimes I require space to think and make decisions independent of anyone else's influence.
And how long has it been since I have had a friend that'll make me see what's right in Front of me
When was the last time I had someone who helped me make decisions that aligned with my own values?
Ooooh oooh oooh
Cuz you use me up and you wear me down
You drain my energy and make me feel exhausted.
When I'm ahead I give up, when I'm led I'm found
When I try to lead, you make me comply to your wishes, but when you lead, you find me submissive.
I'm this way and I'm that way cuz it's your way or the high way
I behave according to your desires because you give me no other choice.
Oh you use me up and you wear me down
You drain my energy and make me feel exhausted.
You use me up, you wear me down
You drain my energy and make me feel exhausted.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIDGET KEARNEY, MICHAEL CALABRESE, MICHAEL DANIEL CALABRESE, MIKE OLSON, MIKE S OLSON, RACHAEL PRICE, RACHAEL CLAIRE PRICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind