I Bet on Losing Dogs
Mitski Lyrics


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My baby, my baby
You're my baby, say it to me
Baby, my baby
Tell your baby that I'm your baby

I bet on losing dogs
I know they're losing and I pay for my place
By the ring
Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down
I'll be there on their side
I'm losing by their side

Would you let me, baby
Lose on losing dogs
I know they're losing and I pay for my place
By the ring
Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down

I wanna feel it
I bet on losing dogs
I always want you when I'm finally fine

How you'd be over me looking in my eyes when I cum
Someone to watch me die




Someone to watch me die
I bet on losing dogs

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mitski's song "I Bet on Losing Dogs" may initially seem confusing or even nonsensical, but upon deeper inspection, they reveal a profound theme of vulnerability, self-sabotage, and a desperate desire for human connection. The opening lines, "My baby, my baby/You're my baby, say it to me," suggest an almost childlike need for reassurance and affection, which is further emphasized by the repeated requests for the singer's lover to tell her that she is their baby.


The chorus, "I bet on losing dogs/I know they're losing and I pay for my place/By the ring/Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down," adds a layer of nuance to this vulnerability. The metaphor of betting on losing dogs could represent the singer's tendency to choose doomed relationships or self-sabotaging behaviors that will inevitably lead to failure. Yet, she still chooses to place herself in these situations, to be on the losing side, and to empathize with others who are also struggling.


The final lines of the chorus, where the singer declares she'll be "looking in their eyes when they're down," hint at a deeper desire to connect with others who are suffering and to be seen and understood in her own moments of weakness. In the bridge, Mitski sings, "How you'd be over me looking in my eyes when I cum/Someone to watch me die," which underscores this desire for intimacy, even in moments of vulnerability, and a craving for someone to witness and accept all parts of herself, even the darker ones.



Line by Line Meaning

My baby, my baby
Addressing a loved one with affection.


You're my baby, say it to me
Asking for confirmation of love and connection.


Baby, my baby
Repeating the affectionate address.


Tell your baby that I'm your baby
Asking the loved one to reciprocate the affection and declare it publicly.


I bet on losing dogs
Choosing to support and root for underdogs with low chances of winning.


I know they're losing and I pay for my place
Acknowledging the inevitability of failure and willing to take responsibility for one's choices.


By the ring
Positioning oneself in the vicinity of the competition or conflict.


Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down
Observing and empathizing with the losing side during a vulnerable moment.


I'll be there on their side
Choosing to support the underdog despite the odds.


I'm losing by their side
Acknowledging that one's affiliation with the underdog may result in shared loss or disadvantage.


Would you let me, baby
Asking the loved one for permission or support.


Lose on losing dogs
Continuing to choose the underdog despite the threat of losing.


I always want you when I'm finally fine
Desiring intimacy and connection only when feeling personally fulfilled and content.


I wanna feel it
Expressing a desire for emotional intensity, potentially including pain or discomfort.


How you'd be over me looking in my eyes when I cum
Fantasizing about an intimate partner or lover being present during a vulnerable or intimate moment.


Someone to watch me die
Reflecting on the desire for connection and intimacy even during moments of pain or loss.


I bet on losing dogs
Repeating the central theme of the song, emphasizing the choice to support underdogs despite the risk of loss.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mitsuki Laycock

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

@ririsprklz

Lyrics:

My baby, my baby
You're my baby, say it to me
Baby, my baby
Tell your baby that I'm your baby
I bet on losing dogs
I know they're losing and I'll pay for my place
By the ring
Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down
I'll be there on their side
I'm losing by their side
Will you let me, baby, lose
On losing dogs
I know they're losing and I'll pay for my place
By the ring
Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down
I wanna feel it
I bet on losing dogs
I always want you when I'm finally fine
How you'd be over me looking in my eyes when I come
Someone to watch me die
Someone to watch me die
I bet on losing dogs.







(Don’t thank me:)



All comments from YouTube:

@sarahany1984

“I always want you when I’m finally fine” WE MAKING IT OUT OF THE MENTAL ASYLUM WITH THIS LINEEEEE🔥🔥🔥🔥🗣🗣🗣🗣‼️‼️‼️‼️💯💯💯💯

@Clownmacesart

REAL

@ghost_toast2

FR

@Ella-li3sd

WE MAKIN IT OUTTA THE PSYCH WARD 🗣🗣🗣❗️❗️❗️

@qiesforever

REAL REAL🔥🔥

@Niahx

This made me chuckle😭

21 More Replies...

@pr3ttikitti

working as a dog groomer has given me a whole new perspective on this song. i know it’s not actually about dogs, but when i get dogs who come in that are clearly being neglected or mistreated i always listen to this song when i’m on break and just cry for them. i can’t report anything bc of the policy of the company i work for and i can’t even begin to tell you how much it hurts living with the knowledge of dogs being mistreated, and knowing i can’t do anything about it. “i know they’re loosing and i pay for my place” really hits hard for me.

@psillymama

You're an angel. 😢

@that.reindeer.charlotte

you are a gift from God. I help walk dogs for elderly ppl sometimes, and it breaks my heart for the ones who don’t get to do fun things or go on walks often.

@kalekoi

thank you for what you do. i know it’s hard not to report i’m sure, but know that policy allows those dogs to not be as isolated, and you give them the gift of your care, even in less than ideal circumstances 💙

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