Did You Really Say No
Oren Lavie Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Did you really say "No"?
Well I thought you meant "Yes"
There were shadows in your hair
There were flowers on your dress

And the flowers grew wild
And the shadows turned to trees
Were you happy as a child?
I saw you dancing in the breeze

Baby, baby on the floor
What did you come here for or
Did you really say "No"?
Baby you used to grow old

Did you really say "No"?
Well I thought you meant "Please"
You were happy as a child
I was known to mind a youth

Then the flowers turned red
And the shadows grew tall
Did I make you disappear?
Were you ever here at all?

Baby, baby on the floor
What did you come here for or
Did you really say "No"?
Baby you used to grow old

Baby, baby on the floor
What did you come here for or
Did you really say "No"?
What did you come here for or

Baby, baby on the floor
What did you come here for or




Did you really say "No"?
Baby I used to know how

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Oren Lavie's song Did You Really Say No depict the emotions and confusion of the singer after a relationship ends. The singer remembers moments with the other person where they thought they were happy, but later realizes that they misinterpreted the signals. The line "Did you really say 'No'? Well, I thought you meant 'Yes'" indicates that the singer misunderstood the other person's feelings and actions. The shadows in the person's hair and the flowers on their dress represent the beauty and mystery of the other person, which the singer was drawn to. However, as time passes, things change, and the flowers turn red and the shadows grow tall, indicating that the relationship has become dark and twisted.


The repetition of the line "Baby, baby on the floor, what did you come here for, or did you really say 'No'?" in the song provides a sense of confusion and frustration. The singer is trying to understand why the other person ended the relationship and questioning whether they ever truly meant to be together. The line "baby you used to grow old" suggests that the singer had imagined a future with the other person, but now that possibility seems lost.


Overall, the song explores the pain and confusion of a failed relationship, highlighting the difficulty of understanding others' emotions and intentions.


Line by Line Meaning

Did you really say "No"?
Are you sure you declined my request?


Well I thought you meant "Yes"
I misinterpreted your response as a positive one.


There were shadows in your hair
I noticed dark areas on your head.


There were flowers on your dress
I observed blooming plants on your clothing.


And the flowers grew wild
The plants bloomed uncontrollably.


And the shadows turned to trees
The dark areas transformed into tall vegetation.


Were you happy as a child?
Were you pleased during your younger years?


I saw you dancing in the breeze
I witnessed you moving gracefully in the wind.


Baby, baby on the floor
Hey, you down there,


What did you come here for or
What was your purpose for arriving,


Did you really say "No"?
Did you truly refuse my entreaty?


Baby you used to grow old
You used to age along with me.


Did you really say "No"?
Did you really turn down my offer?


Well I thought you meant "Please"
I assumed you wanted me to proceed.


You were happy as a child
You felt joyous when you were young.


I was known to mind a youth
I was familiar with taking care of the young.


Then the flowers turned red
The blossoms changed color to a shade of red.


And the shadows grew tall
The darkness stretched upwards.


Did I make you disappear?
Did I cause you to vanish?


Were you ever here at all?
Did you exist here in any way?


Baby, baby on the floor
Hey, you down there,


What did you come here for or
What was your purpose for arriving,


Did you really say "No"?
Did you truly refuse my entreaty?


Baby you used to grow old
You used to age along with me.


Baby, baby on the floor
Hey, you down there,


What did you come here for or
What was your purpose for arriving,


Did you really say "No"?
Did you truly refuse my entreaty?


Baby I used to know how
I was once certain of my abilities.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Oren Lavie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@43Rhein10

Elena Voroniouk
I dont know ... - this phrase kind of sounds good - but NO, you're wrong!
And actually, i hate art which was made with a PURPOSE! (such purposes usually include manipulating-people.
An ARTIST who's FEELING the art he's making as he is making it, rarely has any purpose in mind.
It's the people who are SELLING art that come up with all sorts of rubbish about art!

NO, there isn't an overall purpose of art!
Neuroscience has shown that artists, during work, switch to their RIGHT brain hemisphere, while they're losing track of time etc.
But PURPOSE is a typical LEFT hemisphere "thing".
So actually its impossible for a "real" artist to make art-with-a-purpose.

That sentence of yours is meant to sound good, and to make you seem intellectual.
It has nothing whatsover got to do with FEELING.
You were impressed when you heard it, - weren't you?
But this phrase is hollow!



All comments from YouTube:

@user-qw3kr2kd1p

Спасибо за музыку, за клип, за настроение, дуэт великолепный, красота. Россия

@DudaGoes12

Still can't believe one is capable of creating such beautiful things alone. Congratulations, Oren, I'm still in love with your work.

@lukehightshoe171

I agree

@fredhominal5029

C'est somptueux ! .. 🎶 .. une merveille !! .. DE L'ART DU VRAI ! .. EXCEPTIONNEL ! .
MERCI POUR CE CHEF D'OEUVRE !! . 😉🙏

@sunflowerproductions.

Vanessa's voice is just magical<333

@narinoamor

Vanessa's voice gives me goosebumps! Just such a emotional song! This is the way music should make you feel!

@isabellemarion6198

Très beau duo bravo à Vanessa toujours aussi talentueuse et à Oren Lavie.

@annasavelyeva5749

I couldn't make out all the words, just a couple of phrases. But it's so terribly sad that tears flowed from my eyes. Thank God that God gave us music as an art. It's like a soul-to-soul conversation. And thank you, Oren and Vannessa, for bringing this to us so carefully.

@mjj7781

My tears always come when they both start to sing. Love this piece of art.

@pr0pellerhead

The song is a true discovery. Thank you

More Comments

More Versions