You Yesterday
Monkey Swallows the Universe Lyrics

You yesterday, you bought a bouquet
You went out and bought a bouquet of flowers for yourself, pretending someone else had bought them for you.

And you walked around town pretending that someone had bought it for you
You paraded around town with the flowers, pretending someone else had given them to you to try and impress others.

Just like in that dream that you once had
This reminded you of a dream you once had where someone gave you a bouquet of flowers.

Then back at home, you talked on the phone
After returning home, you spoke on the phone with the operator and the talking clock.

To the operator and the talking clock
You chatted on the phone with automated voices to fill the silence of being alone.

You made dinner for two, drank all the wine and a good time was had
You made yourself a fancy dinner, drank all the wine by yourself, and tried to convince yourself you were having a good time.

Then you had a row, somehow you got jealous
You then had an argument with yourself and somehow became jealous of your own actions.

So why do you talk to yourself?
You question why you engage in self-talk and internal strife.

You met an old friend
You later met an old friend.

Then you complained about being alone, a face in the crowd
You lamented your loneliness and feeling like just another face in the crowd to your friend.

And she told you to think about all the people who feel the same as you
Your friend urged you to consider that there are others who feel the same way you do.

You took offence – you stand apart
You took offense to your friend's suggestion and felt you were different and alone in your feelings.

There's no one who could share the same kind of heart
You feel that no one else could understand your unique situation or feelings.

And you told your old friend to stick her advice in a place no sun could shine
You lashed out and insulted your friend, telling her to keep her advice to herself.

And then you fell down, somehow you got dizzy
You then fell down and felt dizzy or disoriented.

So why do you spin round and round?
You question why you continue spinning in circles, going nowhere with your thoughts and actions.

Maybe tomorrow a finer day comes
You hold onto hope that tomorrow will bring a better day.

When you stop lying there arresting your thumbs
You hope to stop wasting time and being idle, accomplishing nothing.

The solitaire game that had lasted for weeks may uncover the meaning of life
You hope that playing solitaire for weeks on end may uncover some kind of deeper meaning in life.

The Catherine wheels that spin in your eyes
The spinning imagery in your mind that never stops.

Help you paint by numbers and sever the ties
This mental imagery helps you compartmentalize and disconnect from reality.

Take a long breath before living expires and reveals there's nobody there
Take a deep breath before it's too late and you realize that nobody is there to support you.

Hey, why don't you say- say something worthwhile but save it for somebody else
You suggest that you should save your meaningless words and actions for others, as they have no value for yourself or anyone else.