When five South Auckland teens got together in 1998 to enter the YFC Capita… Read Full Bio ↴When five South Auckland teens got together in 1998 to enter the YFC Capital Teen Convention, none of them had any clue that they would be playing to over 25,000 people on Mainstage at Parachute Festival. Also None of them thought they would be touring the US and playing at the Cornerstone Festival. But these five, now well out of their teens play a brand of pop-punk that many kids around New Zealand adore

I Can Tell
Mumsdollar Lyrics

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Excuse me sir
Is that a smile I see or are you hurting bad
You act so happy all the time
It's hard to tell when you're sinking in
No-one knows you like I do
So please don't tell your lies to me
Your appearance has them fooled
Don't you know you're out of control

Should have told
I oughta know
I Should have told
I oughta know
Will you be here when I wake up tomorrow

Don't say it's all right
I can tell just by looking in your eyes
Something's wrong
Don't tell me things will be fine

You kid yourself and even I know
That this could be the last time I wave goodbye

Overall Meaning

The song "I Can Tell" by Mumsdollar is a poignant commentary on the danger of bottling up emotions and trying to put up a brave front in everyday life, while struggling with inner turmoil. The lyrics begin by confronting someone who is always smiling, but may be hurting inside. The singer acknowledges that they know the person well enough to sense when they are not okay, and requests them to drop the façade and share their struggles.

The chorus expresses regret about not speaking up earlier - "Should have told, I oughta know". The singer questions if the person will still be around the next day, implying that they may have pushed them too far away to be able to help them now. In the second verse, the singer urges the person to open up and admits that they can see that something is wrong despite their denials. The song concludes with the bleak possibility that this could be their last goodbye.

Overall, "I Can Tell" is an emotionally impactful song that addresses the importance of being authentic and vulnerable with the ones we love, instead of trying to always present a veneer of happiness. The song highlights the fact that it's okay to not be okay, and that it's important to reach out and talk about our struggles, instead of trying to handle them alone.

Line by Line Meaning

Excuse me sir
Addressing someone politely

Is that a smile I see or are you hurting bad
Asking if they are truly happy or in pain

You act so happy all the time
The person always appears to be cheerful

It's hard to tell when you're sinking in
Difficult to see if they are struggling

No-one knows you like I do
Claiming to know the person well

So please don't tell your lies to me
Asking not to be lied to

Your appearance has them fooled
Others are tricked by your facade

Don't you know you're out of control
The person needs to get their actions together

Should have told
Regret for not speaking up earlier

I oughta know
Awareness of the truth

Will you be here when I wake up tomorrow
Questioning their reliability