Bernard: “I was on holiday on my boat in the Ca… Read Full Bio ↴Band comments (2005)
Bernard: “I was on holiday on my boat in the Caribbean, tuning in a shortwave radio into all these mad stations. The beats were fantastic, really interesting. So I recorded some stuff off the radio, and used it as the inspiration for a song. I like it because it starts off with these dancehall beats and then turns into Velvet Underground somewhere in the middle, and I like both of those things.”
Phil: “It’s bonkers, isn’t it?”
I Told You So
New Order Lyrics
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I've been waiting here with nowhere to go
It's an occupation I don't like
But it pays the rent and turns on the light (alright)
I told you so
It has to be
Cut loose and runaway with me
I'll be there by your side
And we'll all get high down the old west side
If it ain't the job and it ain't the place
But I must stay for your pretty face
It's a bad reaction I can't fix
You conned me with those feline tricks
And I told you so
It's a crazy world
For a mixed-up guy
And a no-good girl
And I told you so
It's a crazy world
For a mixed-up guy
With a no-good girl
(Take her, take the world)
I told you so
It has to be
Cut loose and run away (run away) with me
We'll go out every night
I'll be there by your side
And we'll all get high down the old west side
Down the old west side
Down the old west side
Down the old west side
(Take the world, yeah)
The lyrics of New Order's song I Told You So is about dissatisfaction and restlessness with one's current situation, coupled with the desire for escape and adventure. The first few lines set the stage for the song, with the singer expressing his discontent with being stuck in a particular place for ten years with nothing to do. He refers to it as an "occupation" he doesn't like, but has to stay for financial reasons.
The chorus, "I told you so," are words of frustration and anger, directed at someone who may have had a hand in keeping the singer in the current circumstances. The singer desires to cut loose and run away, and proposes that they do so together. He promises to be there for the person all the time, and the two of them would go "out every night," presumably to have new experiences and live a better life. The reference to getting "high down the old west side" is an interesting one, as it is an indication that they may be using drugs as a way of escaping reality.
The second verse of the song sees the singer recognizing that it's not just the job or the place that's the problem, but the person who's holding him hostage with their "feline tricks." Once again, the singer expresses frustration in lyrics like "It's a bad reaction I can't fix" and "It's a crazy world for a mixed-up guy with a no-good girl." The song ends with a repetition of the chorus and some additional chanting.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been ten long years since I've been home
I haven't been to my hometown for a decade
I've been waiting here with nowhere to go
I have been living here for a while with no particular destination
It's an occupation I don't like
I dislike my job
But it pays the rent and turns on the light (alright)
But I endure it as it pays my bills and helps me make a living
I told you so
As I predicted before
It has to be
It must happen one way or the other
Cut loose and runaway with me
Free yourself from this place and come with me
We'll go out every night
We will have adventurous nights out
I'll be there by your side
I will be your constant companion
And we'll all get high down the old west side
We will party hard in the old west side
If it ain't the job and it ain't the place
If my discomfort isn't due to work or the surroundings
But I must stay for your pretty face
But I have to continue staying because of your beauty
It's a bad reaction I can't fix
It's an unpleasant consequence that cannot be remedied
You conned me with those feline tricks
You deceived me with your seductive tricks
It's a crazy world
The world is mad
For a mixed-up guy
For someone who is confused
And a no-good girl
And someone who is not virtuous
Down the old west side
Towards the old west side
(Take the world, yeah)
(Grab hold of the world, yeah)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PHILIP CUNNINGHAM, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, PETER HOOK, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind