Produced by Hugh Padgham
Co-p… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Paul Draper and Dominic Chad
Produced by Hugh Padgham
Co-produced by Mike Hunter
Released August 2000 on Little Kix.
Notes:
Originally released in an edited mix as a single July 2000.
Also released in remixed form on promo 12" (Perfecto Club and Instrumental mixes) by Paul Oakenfold prior to the single release. The Club mix appeared on Japanese editions of the I Can Only Disappoint U single and was later included as a b-side of Electric Man (Thirteen EP/EP 13) CD 2.
Home demo recording is included on CD 3 of the compilation Kleptomania in 2004.
"This was written for a past lover who I disappointed terribly. I wanted to write a 'story' song. Something tragic, beautiful and romantic, but in a cheap way. The first journalist who interviewed me about this song asked why I seemed to be chronicling the story of Bono from U2's rise to fame. I went back and listened to it, and he was right! It was all too much..." (Paul Draper, 2006)
I Can Only Disappoint U
Mansun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You sing like Sinatra, always
You pulled 'em for miles now, like Garbo in Berlin
You played 'em for zeroes, just like always
Tonight, some bitch is hassling me
And tonight, it feels so good feeling cheap
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
You turned a man cuckoo, half animal, half grace
The chick was a teaser, always
Tonight, their hips will swivel and turn
So we drove, to the place where we first met
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you, always
The queens they all loved you, the tall, the short, the fair
The sailors, the psychos, always
And here, I faltered, gun in my hand
And you, with "piggies" scrawled on your wall
And tonight, her note said "better off dead"
And the earth has never moved for me since
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you, always
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
Cause I always let you down
Cause I always let you down
Cause I always let you down
Cause I always let you down
(Cause I always let you down) cause I always let you down
Cause I always let you down [Repeat: x4]
The lyrics initially seem to describe a relationship gone bad, but upon closer examination, they reveal much more. The song starts with the singer recounting his relationship with a woman who promised to change the world. It seems the two had a strong connection where the woman’s beautiful voice attracted people like Frank Sinatra. However, things took a turn for the worse as they encountered difficulties in their relationship.
The lyrical content is vague but suggestive of infidelity, with the singer referring to a “bitch” that is “hassling” him at the present moment. He goes on to recount an earlier event where he went with the woman he loved to a place where they first met, possibly for one final attempt at salvaging their relationship. However, it seems their efforts were in vain, and the woman he loved leaves him a note saying she is “better off dead.” This event leaves the singer in despair and causes him to feel as if he can only disappoint others, particularly the one he loved.
The song seems to be about the inevitability of failure and the realization that sometimes things don't work out the way we want them to. The singer acknowledges his shortcoming and accepts that he can only disappoint those who depend on him. Overall, the song is melancholic, with its themes of loss and failure still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
I traveled from Dublin, you said you'd change the world
I came from Dublin to meet you, and you promised to make a big difference in the world.
You sing like Sinatra, always
You are always singing well, like Sinatra.
You pulled 'em for miles now, like Garbo in Berlin
You have captivated and attracted many people, like Garbo did in Berlin.
You played 'em for zeroes, just like always
You entertained people who were of no value to you, just as you've always done.
Tonight, some bitch is hassling me
Tonight, someone (probably a woman) is giving me a hard time for no reason.
And tonight, it feels so good feeling cheap
Despite being treated poorly, I'm enjoying the feeling of being valueless.
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you because I always fail to meet your expectations.
You turned a man cuckoo, half animal, half grace
You made a man go crazy, turning him into half an animal and half a graceful being.
The chick was a teaser, always
The woman was always playing hard to get.
Tonight, their hips will swivel and turn
Tonight, they will dance in a sensuous and provocative way.
So we drove, to the place where we first met
We drove to the place where we first met each other.
The queens they all loved you, the tall, the short, the fair
People of all kinds loved you, including queens, tall people, short people, and fair-skinned people.
The sailors, the psychos, always
Sailors and psychos alike were drawn to you, always.
And here, I faltered, gun in my hand
And at this moment, I lost my confidence, with a gun in my hand.
And you, with "piggies" scrawled on your wall
And you, with the word "piggies" written on your wall.
And tonight, her note said "better off dead"
And tonight, her message to me said that I would be better off dead.
And the earth has never moved for me since
And I have not experienced any excitement or passion since then.
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you because I always fail to meet your expectations.
I can only disappoint you, always
I can only disappoint you, always.
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you because I always fail to meet your expectations.
I can only disappoint you cause I always let you down
I can only disappoint you because I always fail to meet your expectations.
Cause I always let you down
Because I always fail to live up to your expectations.
Cause I always let you down
Because I always fail to live up to your expectations.
(Cause I always let you down) cause I always let you down
Because I always fail to live up to your expectations.
Cause I always let you down
Because I always fail to live up to your expectations.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DOMINIC CHAD, PAUL EDWARD DRAPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind