Can't Pin Me Down
Marina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can be your clown
But you ain't got my number
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Now I got your back up
Do you think I'm stuck-up
'Cause I'm always picking fights
You might think I'm one thing,
But I am another
You can't call my bluff
Time to back off, motherfucker
Do you really want me to write a feminist anthem
I'm happy cooking dinner in the kitchen for my husband
Yeah, yeah
You can paint me any color
And I can be your clown
But you ain't got my number
No, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
You ain't got me sussed yet
You're not even close
Baby, it's the one thing
That I hate the most
All these contradictions pouring out of me
Just another girl in the 21st century
I am never gonna give you anything you expect
You think I'm like the others
Boy, you need to get your eyes checked, checked
You can paint me any color
And I can be your clown
But you ain't got my number
No, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
I could be your sister
I could be your mother
I could be your neighbour
I could be your lover
Do you like my body?
Do you like my mind?
What is it that you are having trouble to define?
I am never gonna give you anything you expect
You think I'm like the others
Boy, you need to get your eyes checked, checked
You can paint me any color
I can be your Russian doll
But you ain't got my number
No, you can't make me small
You can paint me any color
And I can be your clown
But you ain't got my number
No, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
Yeah, you can't pin me down
In "Can't Pin Me Down," Marina & the Diamonds is resisting societal expectations and refusing to be stereotyped or simplified. The song begins with a challenge to the listener to try and put Marina in a box, but she warns that it's impossible. While she acknowledges that she can be whatever someone else wants her to be ("you can paint me any color / and I can be your clown"), she maintains her autonomy and independence ("you can't pin me down").
Marina then addresses societal expectations of women and feminist stereotypes that demand she become a flagbearer for the cause ("Do you really want me to write a feminist anthem? / I'm happy cooking dinner in the kitchen for my husband"). She is not against feminist ideas, but she resists when she is expected to behave in a certain way just because of her gender. She ends the verse by reiterating her independence ("You can't pin me down").
In the second verse, Marina addresses the common misconception that people think they know her ("You might think I'm one thing / But I am another"). She challenges the listener to question their preconceptions and stereotypes and encourages them to not lump her in with other women just because they share the same gender ("I am never gonna give you anything you expect / You think I'm like the others / Boy, you need to get your eyes checked").
Overall, "Can't Pin Me Down" is a bold feminist anthem that encourages the listener to challenge their own preconceptions and resist societal expectations. Marina & the Diamonds refuse to be boxed in, insisting on their autonomy and individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
You can paint me any color
I am versatile and adaptable, able to fit into any mold that you try to fit me into
And I can be your clown
I am willing to act and perform for your entertainment
But you ain't got my number
You do not truly understand me or have any control over me
Yeah, you can't pin me down
You cannot categorize me or predict my actions
Now I got your back up
I have angered or frustrated you
What do you not like
What about me is bothering you?
Do you think I'm stuck-up
Do you believe I am arrogant or conceited?
'Cause I'm always picking fights
I express myself and my opinions vehemently, often leading to arguments
You might think I'm one thing,
You have formed an impression of me based on your limited experience
But I am another
I am far more complex and multidimensional than you realize
You can't call my bluff
You cannot expose my deception or catch me in a lie
Time to back off, motherfucker
You need to leave me alone and stop trying to control me, now
Do you really want me to write a feminist anthem
Are you attempting to pigeonhole me into a specific political or social category?
I'm happy cooking dinner in the kitchen for my husband
I am capable of making my own choices and doing what makes me happy, regardless of societal expectations
You ain't got me sussed yet
You do not fully comprehend me and my personality
You're not even close
Your assumptions about me are far from accurate
Baby, it's the one thing
This lack of understanding is something that really bothers me
That I hate the most
It frustrates and irritates me above all else
All these contradictions pouring out of me
My personality and behavior are often inconsistent and seemingly contradictory
Just another girl in the 21st century
I am not unique or exceptional, but rather one of many women living in this time period
I am never gonna give you anything you expect
I will always surprise you and defy your expectations
You think I'm like the others
You believe I am similar to the other people you have encountered
Boy, you need to get your eyes checked, checked
You are mistaken and need to reevaluate your perception of me
I could be your sister
I am relatable and could easily fit into your life in various roles
I could be your mother
I am nurturing and capable of providing guidance and support
I could be your neighbour
I am a member of your community and am familiar with your environment
I could be your lover
I am capable of forming intimate and romantic relationships
Do you like my body?
Are you solely interested in my physical appearance?
Do you like my mind?
Do you value and appreciate my intellect and personality?
What is it that you are having trouble to define?
What specifically is confusing or unclear to you about me?
I can be your Russian doll
I can fit into multiple layers of complexity and depth
But you ain't got my number
Despite appearances or assumptions, you do not truly understand or know me
No, you can't make me small
You cannot diminish me or reduce me to a mere stereotype or caricature
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARINA LAMBRINI DIAMANDIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Crewmate WillThrowTheseHands
@AnthonysUniverse I think you twist a lot of the statements to fit your own claims. The fact that a woman has a choice between career and home, also means that a man has a choice between career and home. We are all equally different and should choose what we decide for ourselves. we all deserve to choose loving home that doesnt abandon us for being a certain gender and freely choose either to care for the family or a career that we love, without being judged for it and have others choose whats best for us. its 2020.
your statement
gender roles and that men and women generally have certain actions that they can do to fit well with each other, for the benefit of both men and women.
is literally choosing what one group can do and other cant because of some imaginary force. How would you know what is for the benefit of both men and women. We arent clones of each other. thats like the furthest thing from what marina had sang. I guess u commented this in your haste to confine women back to the kitchen and denounce feminism. U do that without realising the statement means that women can do what they want based on their decisions. If a woman wants to be career minded, great, if a woman wants to be family oriented, then great. Same should be for men too. If he is career minded, great for him but we also shouldnt judge a man if he decides that he would rather raise his kids well.
peyton t
Marina makes cursing sound classy
la sofi
😌
sophie rafat
💅💅
MSapuppo
Explain us better the meanings,please,I don 't understand what U mean
Ryan Brooke
The "Do you really want me to write feminist anthem? I'm happy cooking dinner in the kitchen for my husband" part means she doesn't have to prove anyone she is a feminist; the whole song is about people trying to define what you are and what you should be or do. Marina is a feminist and she can obviosly be a feminist and cook dinner to her husband because she wants to, since feminism also defends women's choices. She doesn't need to write a song saying she's feminist to prove people who doubt it.
alessandra marie
Thank you. Some people don't understand that...
NETFOXFEDLOCKTIMEEXPERIMENT
Dar she owman she do write songs
alessandra marie
+NETFOXFEDLOCKTIMEEXPERIMENT Yep! She wrote FROOT on her own :-)
AnimalLover24561
No. It means she's being sarcastic.
L.O.V.E Drive
You just painted her as a feminist. So you are doing what you said she was not doing.