Christine
Lucy Dacus Lyrics
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In the back of your boyfriend's car
We're coming home from a sermon saying how bent and evil we are
I try to imagine what you're dreaming
You're muttering nonsense between steady breathing
I have to wake you up to get out
Your man waves from the end of the drive 'til I'm in the house
Other nights, you admit he's not what you had in mind
All in all, nobody's perfect
There may be better, but you don't feel worth it
That's where we disagree
You always wanted to raise a baby by the lake
Maybe they'll grow up and never make the same mistakes
Knowing you, they'd be the first kid to never hurt another
I see you look at him and wonder if he'll make you a mother
But if you get married, I'd object
Throw my shoe at the altar and lose your respect
I'd rather lose my dignity
Than lose you to somebody who won't make you happy
The lyrics to Lucy Dacus's song Christine paint a picture of two people riding in the backseat of a car, overhearing a sermon about the sinful nature of humanity. As they ride, one of them falls asleep on the other's shoulder, and the singer tries to imagine what they're dreaming about. The person sleeping is Christine, and she's with her boyfriend, who has just dropped them off at her house. The singer gets out to head to their own home, and as Christine's boyfriend waves goodbye, the song takes a turn, and we learn that he's not always the nicest person, although Christine seems to think he's worth sticking around for. She tells the singer that everyone has flaws, but the singer disagrees and insists that Christine deserves better. Christine dreams of raising a baby by the lake, but the singer, despite wanting the best for her, would still object if she decided to marry her current boyfriend, asserting that it's better to lose their dignity and speak up than to lose Christine to someone who wouldn't make her happy.
The lyrics of Christine give an honest portrayal of the complicated nature of love and the sacrifices people make when they care deeply for someone. The song captures the experience of witnessing someone you care about settling for less than what they deserve and the pain that comes with feeling powerless to help them. The lyrics are poignant and personal, and Dacus's voice lends an authenticity to the emotions behind them that makes her message all the more poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
You're falling asleep on my shoulder
You're resting on my shoulder, tired and at peace
In the back of your boyfriend's car
We are in the car, at the back and you are with your boyfriend.
We're coming home from a sermon saying how bent and evil we are
We're returning home from a religious speech that told us how bad we are.
I try to imagine what you're dreaming
I ponder on what you could be dreaming of
You're muttering nonsense between steady breathing
You're sleep-talking and aren't making any sense.
I have to wake you up to get out
I have to shake you to wake you up so that we can leave the car.
Your man waves from the end of the drive 'til I'm in the house
Your boyfriend waves goodbye as I walk into the house.
He can be nice, sometimes
He has his good moments.
Other nights, you admit he's not what you had in mind
Other times, you confess that he's not exactly who you would have preferred.
All in all, nobody's perfect
We all have our flaws, no one is perfect
There may be better, but you don't feel worth it
There may be better options, but you feel you don't deserve them.
That's where we disagree
We disagree on whether or not you deserve better.
You always wanted to raise a baby by the lake
You've always wanted to have a child and raise them beside a lake.
Maybe they'll grow up and never make the same mistakes
You hope that your child will learn from your mistakes and not repeat them.
Knowing you, they'd be the first kid to never hurt another
You're confident that your child would grow up to be kind and caring.
I see you look at him and wonder if he'll make you a mother
I see you gazing at your boyfriend and pondering if he's going to help make you a mother.
But if you get married, I'd object
If you decide to get married, I'll protest.
Throw my shoe at the altar and lose your respect
I'll throw my shoe at your wedding ceremony and potentially lose your respect.
I'd rather lose my dignity
I'd rather be humiliated
Than lose you to somebody who won't make you happy
Than have you marry someone who won't help you be happy.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Lucy Dacus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fernando
Lyrics:
You're falling asleep
On my shoulder in the back of your boyfriend's car
We're coming home
From a sermon saying how bent and evil we are
I try to imagine what you're dreaming
You're muttering nonsense between steady breathing
I have to wake you up to get out
Your man waves from the end of the drive 'til I'm in the house
He can be nice, sometimes
Other nights, you admit he's not what you had in mind
All in all, nobody's perfect
Therе may be better, but you don't feel worth it
That's whеre we disagree
You always wanted to raise a baby by the lake
Maybe they'll grow up and never make the same mistakes
Knowing you, they'd be the first kid to never hurt another
I see you look at him and wonder if he'll make you a mother
But if you get married, I'd object
Throw my shoe at the altar and lose your respect
I'd rather lose my dignity
Than lose you to somebody who won't make you happy
VoxGothica
Every song a gut punch. It’s not easy writing songs and telling stories that are so honest, so vulnerable, without sounding trite or two-dimensional, but Lucy does it with ease. Wow!
heyheyhey
Two-dimensional? Lmao.
Fernando
Lyrics:
You're falling asleep
On my shoulder in the back of your boyfriend's car
We're coming home
From a sermon saying how bent and evil we are
I try to imagine what you're dreaming
You're muttering nonsense between steady breathing
I have to wake you up to get out
Your man waves from the end of the drive 'til I'm in the house
He can be nice, sometimes
Other nights, you admit he's not what you had in mind
All in all, nobody's perfect
Therе may be better, but you don't feel worth it
That's whеre we disagree
You always wanted to raise a baby by the lake
Maybe they'll grow up and never make the same mistakes
Knowing you, they'd be the first kid to never hurt another
I see you look at him and wonder if he'll make you a mother
But if you get married, I'd object
Throw my shoe at the altar and lose your respect
I'd rather lose my dignity
Than lose you to somebody who won't make you happy
Olivia Braccio
This is the type of song that just rips your soul out of your body.
fabiola cepeda
“knowing you they’d be the first kid to never hurt another” that lyric reminds me of my girlfriend bc ik that’s exactly how she’ll raise her kids
Kethy
this one hits hard on the feelings
Deborah
Exactly, it's relatable to a spiritual level
ella
one of my favorites from the album <3
Michael Acuna
It's seriously a beautiful song.
Yaglet
No but like clearly bestie Lucy was not taking into consideration the state of my mental health when she wrote this song