The List
Maisie Peters Lyrics


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Oh I, have a hobby of pickin' myself apart
Leavin' people I love waitin' in the dark
And sometimes when I want to cry, I laugh
It's kind of funny
Oh and, this October I went fallin' off the edge
All of London must have heard the things I said
Put your hand up if I let you down again, hmm
There's a list of things that I should stop
List of things that I should stop
List of things that I should not be doin' but I do 'em
It's a pattern that I got

I need to stop my excuses and have a real conversation
Need to look in the mirror, stop findin' things that need changin'
Need to stop gettin' drunk, to avoid this situation
I need to stop, lettin' myself down

I'll try something that I've not before
And like myself a little more now

Oh I, I've got an attic full of damage in my mind
I box it up, say I'll deal with it another night
And I have a problem lookin' people in the eye
Isn't that funny?

There's a list of things that I should stop
List of things that I should stop
List of things that I should not be doin' but I do 'em
It's a pattern that I've got

I need to stop my excuses and have a real conversation
Need to look in the mirror, stop findin' things that need changin'
Need to stop gettin' drunk to avoid this situation
I need to stop, lettin' myself down

I should shut up and listen, not try to fill every silence
I should stumble in love, instead of runnin' and hiding
I should stop gettin' drunk and showin' up uninvited
I need to stop, lettin' myself down

I'll try something that I've not before

Oh I'm a master at dancin' around the point
I know I call you, but I hate the sound of my own voice
So can you talk? You know I'm stackin' up
Until the night I'm not enough
And you're just someone else I disappoint

I need to stop my excuses and put my feelings in order
Need to look in the mirror and stand a little bit taller
Need to stop gettin' drunk, as a reason to call you
I need to stop, lettin' myself down

Oh, I should shut up and listen, not try to fill every silence
I should stumble in love instead of running and hiding
I should stop getting drunk and showing up uninvited
I need to stop letting myself down





I'll try something that I've not before
And like myself a little more now

Overall Meaning

The song “The List” by Maisie Peters is about recognizing and admitting one’s flaws and mistakes. The lyrics speak about a list of things that the singer should stop doing, but seems unable to change. The song expresses the feeling of self-doubt and self-criticism, of not being good enough, and of letting oneself and others down. It portrays the internal struggle of wanting to change and improve, but struggling with actually doing so.


In the first verse, Peters sings about her hobby of picking herself apart and leaving her loved ones waiting in the dark. She acknowledges her tendency to suppress her emotions, laughing instead of crying. In the second verse, she speaks about her struggles with mental health, admitting to having an attic full of damage in her mind. She also talks about her difficulty in making eye contact with people. Throughout the song, she repeats the line “I need to stop, letting myself down,” emphasizing her desire to improve and break the self-destructive patterns she finds herself in.


The chorus emphasizes the theme of self-improvement, showing that the singer recognizes the need for change. Peters admits the things that she needs to stop doing, like making excuses and avoiding difficult conversations. She expresses the desire to be able to look at herself in the mirror, to find happiness and self-love.


Overall, “The List” is a relatable anthem for those who struggle with their own self-doubt and desire to improve. The lyrics speak honestly about one's flaws and temptations to self-destruction, but ultimately end with hope for growth and self-love.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh I, have a hobby of pickin' myself apart
I tend to criticize and judge myself a lot


Leavin' people I love waitin' in the dark
I neglect my loved ones while I'm busy overthinking about myself


And sometimes when I want to cry, I laugh
I resort to humor instead of confronting my feelings


Oh and, this October I went fallin' off the edge
I had a breakdown


All of London must have heard the things I said
I said things I regret and broadcasted them to a large audience


Put your hand up if I let you down again, hmm
I disappoint people regularly


There's a list of things that I should stop
I am aware of my self-destructive patterns and behaviors


It's a pattern that I got
It's a habit that I can't seem to break


I need to stop my excuses and have a real conversation
I need to take responsibility for my actions and communicate honestly


Need to look in the mirror, stop findin' things that need changin'
I need to stop obsessing over my flaws and imperfections


Need to stop gettin' drunk, to avoid this situation
I need to stop relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism


I need to stop, lettin' myself down
I need to stop disappointing myself and breaking promises to myself


I'll try something that I've not before
I'll attempt to make positive changes in my life


Oh I, I've got an attic full of damage in my mind
I have a lot of emotional baggage and unresolved issues


I box it up, say I'll deal with it another night
I avoid confronting my past traumas and emotions


And I have a problem lookin' people in the eye
I struggle with vulnerability and intimacy


Isn't that funny?
It's ironic and sad


I should shut up and listen, not try to fill every silence
I need to improve my listening skills and be comfortable with silence


I should stumble in love, instead of runnin' and hiding
I should take risks and allow myself to be vulnerable in romantic relationships


I should stop gettin' drunk and showin' up uninvited
I should stop relying on alcohol to reach out to people I care about


I'll try something that I've not before
I'll experiment with new ways of behaving and thinking


And like myself a little more now
I hope to improve my self-esteem and self-worth


Oh I'm a master at dancin' around the point
I am skilled at avoiding direct conversations and confronting difficult topics


I know I call you, but I hate the sound of my own voice
I struggle to communicate effectively and confidently


So can you talk? You know I'm stackin' up
I need someone to communicate with and release my emotions to


Until the night I'm not enough
Until the night where my shortcomings are exposed


And you're just someone else I disappoint
I am afraid of disappointing the people closest to me


I need to stop my excuses and put my feelings in order
I need to stop making excuses and learn to communicate my emotions in a healthy way


Need to look in the mirror and stand a little bit taller
I need to improve my self-confidence and self-worth


Need to stop gettin' drunk, as a reason to call you
I need to stop relying on alcohol to reach out to people I care about


I need to stop, lettin' myself down
I need to stop disappointing myself and breaking promises to myself




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Maisie Hannah Peters, Sophie Frances Cooke

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

@Kate-ol8uo

Oh I, have a hobby of pickin' myself apart
Leavin' people I love waitin' in the dark
And sometimes when I want to cry, I laugh
It's kind of funny
Oh and, this October I went fallin' off the edge
All of London must have heard the things I said
Put your hand up if I let you down again, hmm
There's a list of things that I should stop
List of things that I should stop
List of things that I should not be doin' but I do 'em
It's a pattern that I got
I need to stop my excuses and have a real conversation
Need to look in the mirror, stop findin' things that need changin'
Need to stop gettin' drunk, to avoid this situation
I need to stop, lettin' myself down
I'll try something that I've not before
And like myself a little more now
Oh I, I've got an attic full of damage in my mind
I box it up, say I'll deal with it another night
And I have a problem lookin' people in the eye
Isn't that funny?
There's a list of things that I should stop
List of things that I should stop
List of things that I should not be doin' but I do 'em
It's a pattern that I've got
I need to stop my excuses and have a real conversation
Need to look in the mirror, stop findin' things that need changin'
Need to stop gettin' drunk to avoid this situation
I need to stop, lettin' myself down
I should shut up and listen, not try to fill every silence
I should stumble in love, instead of runnin' and hiding
I should stop gettin' drunk and showin' up uninvited
I need to stop, lettin' myself down
I'll try something that I've not before
Oh I'm a master at dancin' around the point
I know I call you, but I hate the sound of my own voice
So can you talk? You know I'm stackin' up
Until the night I'm not enough
And you're just someone else I disappoint
I need to stop my excuses and put my feelings in order
Need to look in the mirror and stand a little bit taller
Need to stop gettin' drunk, as a reason to call you
I need to stop, lettin' myself down
Oh, I should shut up and listen, not try to fill every silence
I should stumble in love instead of running and hiding
I should stop getting drunk and showing up uninvited
I need to stop letting myself down
I'll try something that I've not before
And like myself a little more now



All comments from YouTube:

@MaisieHPeters

I hope u guys enjoy the video! Honestly it was such an honour seeing all your pieces of artwork and getting to collaborate with so many of you, like I am so obsessed with the fact that we all made this video together and it will exist forever and always remind me how talented and funny and clever you guys are. I'm so lucky to get to work with u all and exist at the same time as u guys I just love u ok emo hours over stream the list for clear skin love u always x

@-themordekaiser8658

love it

@martal6896

I’ve streamed the list soooo many times my skin is flawless

@tkozolcr8486

항상 멀리서 응원해요 이번 노래도 너무 좋아요 언니❤️

@richellelee4755

You're awesome!!!

6 More Replies...

@ana-uu9pd

I abosolutely love the fact that we were all making designs and using the hashtag #mywordfromthelist before we knew that we were literally making words from THE LIST, and none of us figured it out. We all just figured it was just a random list or something, but no. Maisie must have been sitting there like some evil genius, just watching...

@martal6896

YES!!! Omfg we were clueless

@jannekejaeschke8500

Omg yes, I didn't even get it until you pointed it out🤦‍♀️

@abiwatsn

i thought everyone realised?? 💀💀

@MaisieHPeters

I didn't grow up a Taylor Swift stan for nothing

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