Affection
Little Steven & The Lost Boys Lyrics


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Trash and vaudeville
Tight dresses and painted faces
It's time to free the lions
From the circus cages

Jaded baby
Come whisper in my ear
Better come closer 'cause
The music is loud here

I'm the monkey that you've always been afraid of
I'm the spirit that haunts your dreams
Deep inside
Don't you have a little bit of sympathy

Don't you want to
Give me some affection
Why is it so hard

Don't you get tired
Same smilin' faces
Don't you get a little bit lonely
Hiding in crowded places

Don't trust the stranger
You should know better
But this heart of darkness
Can be your shelter

I ain't rich enough I really don't belong here
I don't want to meet your mommy and daddy
I ain't good lookin' but you get used to it like I did

Don't you want to




Give me some affection
Why is it so hard

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Affection" by Little Steven & The Lost Boys explore the themes of longing, loneliness, and acceptance. The first stanza is a call to break free from societal norms and constraints, as symbolized by the imagery of trash and vaudeville, tight dresses, and painted faces. The second stanza speaks of a jaded individual seeking comfort and connection from another person, despite feeling like an outsider. The chorus then takes on a melancholic tone, asking why it is so difficult to find affection from others and pointing out the insincere facades worn by many in social situations.


The third stanza questions the motivations behind why someone might give or withhold affection, and the fourth warns against blindly trusting strangers while acknowledging the allure of darkness and mystery. The final stanza shows the singer acknowledging their lack of conventional desirability and social status, but still hopes for affection and acceptance from the other person. Overall, "Affection" is a bittersweet song that reflects on the struggle to find genuine connections in a world full of facades and superficiality.


Line by Line Meaning

Trash and vaudeville
The world is a chaotic place filled with strange and colorful sights.


Tight dresses and painted faces
People put on various facades to appear attractive and appealing to the world, but it's all just a show.


It's time to free the lions
It's time to break free from the norms and expectations of the world and be true to oneself.


From the circus cages
From the confines of societal norms and expectations that try to cage and suppress individuality.


Jaded baby
Tired and disillusioned by the world.


Come whisper in my ear
Seeking solace and comfort from someone close.


Better come closer 'cause
The world is noisy and distracting, and one needs to be close and intimate to truly connect.


The music is loud here
The world is filled with distractions and noise, making it hard to truly connect with others.


I'm the monkey that you've always been afraid of
I am the embodiment of fear, the fear of being different and standing out from the crowd.


I'm the spirit that haunts your dreams
I am the embodiment of people's deepest fears and desires, which they try to suppress and ignore.


Deep inside
Hidden within oneself, in the deepest corners of the mind and soul.


Don't you have a little bit of sympathy
Can you not see beyond the surface and have empathy for one's struggles and fears?


Don't you want to
Do you not feel the desire and need to truly connect with someone?


Give me some affection
Show love and care for someone, despite their flaws and differences.


Why is it so hard
Why is it so difficult to truly connect with someone and show genuine affection and empathy?


Don't you get tired
Aren't you exhausted and drained from putting on a facade and hiding your true self from the world?


Same smilin' faces
The world is filled with people who pretend to be happy and content, but are silently struggling.


Don't you get a little bit lonely
Do you not feel isolated and alone, despite being surrounded by people?


Hiding in crowded places
Using the facade of being surrounded by people to hide one's true self and struggles.


Don't trust the stranger
The world is filled with people who will hurt and deceive you, so it's best to be cautious and guarded.


You should know better
The world has taught us to be distrustful and cynical of others, even when they are genuine and kind.


But this heart of darkness
Despite the fear and despair inside oneself, there is still hope for love and connection.


Can be your shelter
One can find solace and support in others, even in the darkest of times.


I ain't rich enough I really don't belong here
I am not wealthy or privileged enough to fit in with the rich and famous, but I am still worthy of love and connection.


I don't want to meet your mommy and daddy
I don't care about social norms and expectations, and I am only interested in genuine and authentic connections.


I ain't good lookin' but you get used to it like I did
I may not fit the conventional standards of beauty, but I have learned to embrace my flaws and imperfections, and hope others can as well.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVEN VAN ZANDT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@hectorzozaya2313

Trash and vaudeville

Tight dresses and painted faces

It's time to free the lions

From the circus cages

Jaded baby

Come whisper in my ear

Better come closer 'cause

The music is loud here

I'm the monkey that you've always been afraid of

I'm the spirit that haunts your dreams

Deep inside

Don't you have a little bit of sympathy

Don't you want to

Give me some affection

Why is it so hard

Don't you get tired

Same smilin' faces

Don't you get a little bit lonely

Hiding in crowded places

Don't trust the stranger

You should know better

But this heart of darkness

Can be your shelter

I ain't rich enough I really don't belong here

I don't want to meet your mommy and daddy

I ain't good lookin' but you get used to it like I did

Don't you want to

Give me some affection

Why is it so hard



All comments from YouTube:

@russsnyder2026

I love that in Sopranos universe this song is a massive hit

@nitesong1

It should be a massive hit in the universe universe imo

@user-zd5lt9hf4s

They got whacked in the last episode

@SirSmilingPhantom

‘Now that’s a hit.’ - Hesh Rabkin

@charlesbeam4450

Thats nice bro

@AImme-ef1nt

Juni jäh zu jäh jäh jäh jäh jäh jäh jäh jäh

@ArtyomChudinov

Yes, it is

@russschoewe3551

A hit is a hit!

@melonballer8475

Oh Hesh..

8 More Replies...

@timmanzi4156

It’s an absolute crime that this song isn’t on Spotify

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