The band gained recognition in the United Kingdom and United States during 2006 and 2007 due to the success of their single "Young Folks", whilst staying virtually unknown in their homeland, Sweden.
Ancient Curse
Peter Bjorn and John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You turn me on, but the problems turn me off
Please pack my bags I want to close this case for good
Let make this steady its all bend out of shape
You look away now, I want to know why
Been calling bluffs like this before
Its so old
Ancient curse
But what if we could break that
We want it bad, so bad it hurts, lets wait, until the next part
You turn me on, but the problems turn me off
It wont let go, it must been buried for so long, its all so clear now
Don't get me wrong now, but we were doomed from the start
Its getting dark now, should have know why
The lyrics of Peter Bjorn and John's "Ancient Curse" explore the complexities of a relationship that is plagued with issues, yet the participants still crave each other's company. The lines "We want it bad, so bad it hurts, let's wait" depict how both individuals yearn for each other, but they understand that rushing into things will only worsen the problems that exist. The following line "You turn me on, but the problems turn me off" further highlights the conflicting emotions that the characters feel. Although they are physically attracted to one another, their personal problems create a disconnection that cannot be ignored. The singer recognizes that the relationship has become unmanageable, and they want to move forward by packing up and closing the case for good. They want things to be steady and not distorted, but it seems like it might be too late for that.
Line by Line Meaning
We want it bad, so bad it hurts, lets wait
We desire something so badly that it causes us pain, but we are willing to delay gratification.
You turn me on, but the problems turn me off
Our attraction to each other is dampened by the issues that we face.
Please pack my bags I want to close this case for good
I am ready to move on from this situation and put an end to it permanently.
Let make this steady its all bend out of shape
We need to stabilize and straighten out our current situation.
You look away now, I want to know why
Your refusal to make eye contact makes me curious about what you are thinking or feeling.
Been calling bluffs like this before
We have dealt with deceitful behavior similar to this in the past.
Its so old
The pattern of dishonesty is well-established and familiar.
You just cant get worse
The situation is already bad enough and cannot deteriorate further.
Ancient curse
This recurring problem feels like a long-standing curse.
But what if we could break that
It is worth considering if we have the power to break free from this negative pattern.
It wont let go, it must been buried for so long, its all so clear now
The issue continues to haunt us, as if it has been hidden away for a lengthy period of time, but we now understand it better.
Don't get me wrong now, but we were doomed from the start
I don't want to offend you, but I believe that our situation was never going to succeed.
Its getting dark now, should have know why
As time passes, the situation becomes bleaker and we regret not realizing the problem sooner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN ERIKSSON, PETER MOREN, BJ�RN YTTLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Knuxwaffle
"you turn me on but the problems turn me off" man what a line.
MrBstar84
One of the best hidden gems of the past 20 years, so bittersweet 👌
joshua dennis
Where has this song been all my life?!
Lyri Metacurl
On the other side of the Young Folks single 😂
Richard Freeman
Waiting for you to find it.
Nate Plays
I fucking Found it...my god. I didn't remember the name of the song but swore it was on Writers block. Whenever I played the album on here or searched for it. It was never on it. B side..... Honestly glad Less people know about it. The beat and the ambient Tone is Killer.
Dark Shoegazer
this song is perfect
crobarus
I just feel like relaxing for the next 30 years.
joshua dennis
Wafflewarrior you are so on point! The greatest truths come in common words
Mitchell Joseph
Made this my ringtone ASAP!