Known for her sense of humour ("Don’t Stray From My Site" – email lover, don’t stray from my site. be the server to my heart. let’s make megabytes of love. Yahoo! we're compatible.), Imbruglia has been active since releasing an EP with Mr Hollow Body back in 2003, titled It Makes a Crunchy Noise. She followed this up with her debut full-length album, Laura Imbruglia in 2005. Laura has toured with well-known acts such as The Eels, Tegan & Sara, M. Ward, The Church, Dappled Cities Fly and Beth Orton.
Laura's second full-length album, The Lighter Side Of... was released in April 2010.
Don't
Laura Imbruglia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in your pain you'll say to me that you didn't mind being doused
Well if you've lost all feeling, you need to move around
Let's take a walk to Melbourne and just crash on Pauly's lounge
Don't cry
Don't look behind
I promise I don't own the kind of music that she likes
We'll drink a lot of red wine and listen to The Smiths
I'll lend you some sad albums for when you dwell on it
Don't cry
Don't look behind
The hunger only eats you when someone takes the cake
I wish you weren't compelled to keep on feeding my bellyache
Don't cry
Don't look behind
Laura Imbruglia's song Don't is a somber yet hopeful exploration of the aftermath of a destructive relationship. The opening lines of the song, "I'll drag your lifeless body out of that burning house And in your pain you'll say to me that you didn't mind being doused," speaks to the idea of needing to save someone who's in a destructive situation but also acknowledging that perhaps they might not want to be saved. The singer in the song wants to help, but they also understand that the person they're trying to save needs to be willing to take action.
The chorus of the song, "Don't cry, Don't look behind," reinforces this idea that in order to move forward, one must stay focused on the present and not dwell on past pain. The singer also acknowledges the difficulty of battling memories, "Battling your memories is often half the fight," and offers a small respite from the pain by suggesting they listen to music and have some wine. The final verse is perhaps the most poignant with, "The hunger only eats you when someone takes the cake, I wish you weren't compelled to keep on feeding my bellyache," acknowledging that the relationship was likely not healthy for both parties, but also that it's difficult to break those patterns.
Overall, Laura Imbruglia's Don't is a powerful and honest exploration of the aftermath of a destructive relationship. The song acknowledges the pain and difficulty of moving on, but also offers a glimmer of hope and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll drag your lifeless body out of that burning house
If something bad happens to you, I'll be there for you even if it's tough.
And in your pain you'll say to me that you didn't mind being doused
Sometimes when we're hurt, we say things that we don't really mean just to avoid confronting the truth.
Well if you've lost all feeling, you need to move around
When we're feeling down, it's good to get up and do something to start feeling better.
Let's take a walk to Melbourne and just crash on Pauly's lounge
Let's get out of here and go somewhere new and exciting to clear our minds.
Don't cry
It's okay to feel sad, but don't let it consume you.
Don't look behind
Don't dwell on the past, focus on the present and future.
Battling your memories is often half the fight
Our past experiences and memories can be tough to overcome, but it's important to keep fighting and moving forward.
I promise I don't own the kind of music that she likes
I may not have everything that you want or need, but I'll do my best to support and comfort you.
We'll drink a lot of red wine and listen to The Smiths
Sometimes it's good to just relax, drink some wine, and listen to some good music with a friend.
I'll lend you some sad albums for when you dwell on it
Even when I'm not there, I want you to know that I care about you and want to support you through difficult times.
The hunger only eats you when someone takes the cake
Jealousy and envy only hurt us when we compare ourselves to others and want what they have.
I wish you weren't compelled to keep on feeding my bellyache
I don't want to be a burden or cause any more problems for you because of my own issues or struggles.
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.