Splinter
Man Overboard Lyrics


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Left her car unlocked, staying outside
Still no sign of him, she feels alright
She went back home again to compare with the place she's in
Staring at her car under the streetlight

If I'm allowed to stay, and if I wanna stay
I'll change everything, cause you were everything
If I had my way, and if I had my way
I would fix you up instead of always piss you off

If you never come home, then you really must know
I adored you, and I adore you now
If I'm really alone, then I really must go
Grab my book bag, make my way back home

Left her keys inside, no one cares now
There's nowhere left to hide, she's splitting hairs now
She doesn't like it here and now to her it's all quite clear
Staring at this place she's going home now

And she's asking, "how did I let everything get so nasty?"




You're going home now with something you wanted
You're going home now with something you want, you want

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Man Overboard's song "Splinter" tell the story of a woman who is waiting outside for someone who never showed up. She decides to check her car before heading back home and ultimately decides to leave. In the chorus, the singer reflects on how he would change everything if he had the chance and how he adored the woman who is leaving. The woman comes to the realization that she doesn't like where she is and leaves with something she wants.


There is a complexity to the lyrics that speaks to the nature of relationships and how people often hold onto something that they know isn't good for them. The repetition of the line, "If I had my way," speaks to the desire to fix what's broken but ultimately recognizing that sometimes it's better to just walk away.


The line, "she's splitting hairs now," suggests a sense of anxiety and OCD tendencies, adding depth to the character's personality. The overall message of the song is to recognize when something isn't working, even if it's difficult to let go.


Line by Line Meaning

Left her car unlocked, staying outside
She left her car unlocked outside and didn't think much of it.


Still no sign of him, she feels alright
Despite not knowing where her partner is, she doesn't feel worried or anxious.


She went back home again to compare with the place she's in
She returned home to compare her current location with the familiarity of her own setup.


Staring at her car under the streetlight
She stands under the glow of the streetlight, looking at her car and deep in thought.


If I'm allowed to stay, and if I wanna stay I'll change everything, cause you were everything If I had my way, and if I had my way I would fix you up instead of always piss you off
The artist talks about wishing they could fix and change everything to keep their loved one around, rather than causing issues.


If you never come home, then you really must know I adored you, and I adore you now If I'm really alone, then I really must go Grab my book bag, make my way back home
If the partner doesn't return, the singer will leave and return home with their book bag. But they also express their love and adoration for their partner.


Left her keys inside, no one cares now There's nowhere left to hide, she's splitting hairs now She doesn't like it here and now to her it's all quite clear Staring at this place she's going home now
The singer continues to describe the departure scene, noting that her keys are inside and there's nowhere else to go - she's decided to leave.


And she's asking, "how did I let everything get so nasty?" You're going home now with something you wanted You're going home now with something you want, you want
As she leaves, she wonders how everything turned negative. The second half is open to interpretation, but it suggests that the partner is getting what they wanted by leaving and going home.




Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

German Brito

I love the drums on this song, that ride playing on the chorus is so fun

Sam J Lance

Say what you like about Man Overboard, sure they're not the best band in the world but boy when they get it right, they REALLY get it right!

Hello!Nurd

Did Man Overboard just get better?
Because I think it did.

Miriam Gorden

I really don't understand why there's so much hate on this band
They're awesome

Amebra

"How did I let everything get so nasty?" is exactly what I say when I get busy and neglect cleaning.

Pablo Horteg

this song is 9/10 catchiness level.

Alexi Luffy

These guys can never write a chorus that is not infectious!

Peter Luzon

I love this song

Samsen

Pop punk from 8 to 18 time flies by man..

BadSodaProductions

Theyve gotten better live and in the studio

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