Can't We Be Friends
O'Day Anita Lyrics


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I thought I'd found the man of my dreams
Now it seems this is how the story ends
He's gonna turn me down and say
Can't we be friends?

I thought for once it couldn't go wrong
Not for long, I can see the way this ends
He's gonna turn me down and say
Can't we be friends?

Never again, through with love, through with men
They play the game without shame, and who's to blame?

I thought I'd found a man I could trust
What a bust, this is how the story ends
He's gonna turn me down and say
Can't we be friends?

Why should I care?
Though he gave me the air
Why should I cry, heave a sigh and wonder why?

I should have seen the signal to stop
What a flop, this is how the story ends




I'll let him turn me down and say
Can't we be friends?

Overall Meaning

In the song "Can't We Be Friends," O'Day Anita sings about the disappointment of a failed romantic relationship. The singer believed she had found the man of her dreams, but in the end, he decides they should just be friends. The tone of the song is bittersweet; the singer acknowledges her sadness but concludes that she will move on from the experience.


The first verse sets up the listener for the story. The singer believed she had found her happily ever after, but that all changed when her partner told her that they should only be friends. The second verse expands on this idea; the singer is frustrated that love has let her down yet again. She declares that she is "through with love" and "through with men" because they play games without any shame.


The final verse is the singer's acceptance of the situation. She realizes that she should have seen the signs that things were not going to work out between them. Despite her sadness, she decides to stay friends with her former partner.


Overall, "Can't We Be Friends" is a sad but introspective song that explores the ups and downs of romantic relationships.


Line by Line Meaning

I thought I'd found the man of my dreams
I believed that I had found the perfect man for me.


Now it seems this is how the story ends
Unfortunately, it seems that this is the end of our relationship.


He's gonna turn me down and say
He will reject me and say


Can't we be friends?
Can we just be friends instead of being in a romantic relationship?


I thought for once it couldn't go wrong
I had hoped that this relationship wouldn't end badly like past ones.


Not for long, I can see the way this ends
Unfortunately, I see that this will end negatively despite my initial hope.


Never again, through with love, through with men
I have grown tired of love and men, and I have decided to never pursue them again.


They play the game without shame, and who's to blame?
Men play with women's emotions without feeling any guilt, and it's not clear who should be held responsible for that.


I thought I'd found a man I could trust
I believed that I had found a man who was honest and faithful.


What a bust, this is how the story ends
Unfortunately, this relationship did not turn out as I had hoped.


Why should I care?
Why should I be concerned about his rejection?


Though he gave me the air
Even though he rejected me.


Why should I cry, heave a sigh and wonder why?
Why should I be upset and wonder why he rejected me?


I should have seen the signal to stop
I should have recognized the signs that this relationship was not going to work out.


What a flop, this is how the story ends
This relationship was a complete failure and ended badly.


I'll let him turn me down and say
I will allow him to reject me and say


Can't we be friends?
Can we still maintain a platonic friendship?




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kay Swift, Paul James

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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