Living Thing
Peter Bjorn and John Lyrics


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Living thing, it's a living thing
Living thing, it's a living thing
Living thing, it's a living thing
Living thing, it's a living thing

Drop the funny line, it's not funny anymore
Make me feel at home like you used to do before
Fill another glass if it makes you more at ease
I could easily act, I usually aim to please

I've grown accustom to grow old
It suits me fine, just fine
Stop wasting my precious time
From now on it's just mine

I'm rented by the hour
And if you can't afford to pay
You gotta keep me bothered, you gotta keep me awake

You don't have to look me in the eye
You don't have to look me in the eye no more
You don't have to look me in the eye
You don't have to love me

[Repeat: x4]
It's a living thing, it's a living thing, it's a living thing
It's a terrible thing to lose

We didn't do it together, and now is it too late?
It's pretty tight around the corners and I no longer have your taste
What is it about a friendship that always keeps the closet closed?
But I can tell it's dusty in here
So I don't even want to think about yours

You don't have to look me in the eye
You don't have to look me in the eye no more
You don't have to look me in the eye
You don't have to love me

[Repeat: x12]




It's a living thing, it's a living thing, it's a living thing
It's a terrible thing to lose

Overall Meaning

The song "Living Thing" by Peter Bjorn and John is about the complexities of relationships, whether they be romantic or otherwise, and the difficulties that arise when they start to fall apart. The song begins with the repetitive phrase "Living thing, it's a living thing," which serves to emphasize the importance of the people and connections in our lives. However, as the song progresses, the lyrics become more melancholic and introspective, detailing the singer's struggles with aging, feeling undervalued, and facing the possibility of losing someone they care about.


The first verse describes the singer's frustration with a friend or lover who used to make them feel at home, but now seems to be drifting away. They sarcastically suggest that the other person should "drop the funny line," indicating that they no longer find their jokes amusing. However, the singer still wants to please this person, suggesting that they are willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work.


The second verse continues in a similar vein, with the singer lamenting the loss of closeness in their relationship. They note that it feels like it's "too late" to fix things, and that they no longer have the other person's "taste." This could be interpreted literally, as in they no longer enjoy the same things, or figuratively, as in they no longer appreciate each other's company in the same way.


The chorus repeats the phrase "It's a living thing, it's a living thing, it's a living thing," which could be interpreted in a number of ways. It could refer to the importance of relationships in our lives, or could be a nod to Livin' Thing, a song from the band Electric Light Orchestra. The final line of the chorus, "It's a terrible thing to lose," indicates the potential consequences of allowing our relationships to fall apart.


Overall, "Living Thing" is a poignant and reflective exploration of the complex web of emotions and experiences that make up our relationships with others.


Line by Line Meaning

Living thing, it's a living thing
The subject of the song is something that is alive and exists.


Drop the funny line, it's not funny anymore
Stop trying to be funny because it's no longer amusing.


Make me feel at home like you used to do before
Make me feel comfortable and at ease like you did in the past.


Fill another glass if it makes you more at ease
Drink more to calm yourself down.


I could easily act, I usually aim to please
I can pretend and do what you want because I like making you happy.


I've grown accustom to grow old
I'm used to aging.


It suits me fine, just fine
I'm okay with it.


Stop wasting my precious time
Don't waste my time, it's valuable.


From now on it's just mine
In the future, my time belongs only to me.


I'm rented by the hour
I'm available to be hired.


And if you can't afford to pay
If you don't have money to pay me.


You gotta keep me bothered, you gotta keep me awake
You have to keep me engaged and alert.


You don't have to look me in the eye
You don't have to maintain eye contact.


You don't have to love me
You're not obligated to love me.


It's a terrible thing to lose
It's incredibly painful when you lose something or someone you care about.


We didn't do it together, and now is it too late?
We didn't solve the problem together, and now it might be too late to fix it.


It's pretty tight around the corners and I no longer have your taste
There's an uncomfortable atmosphere and I don't enjoy it anymore.


What is it about a friendship that always keeps the closet closed?
Why do people in friendships keep secrets from each other?


But I can tell it's dusty in here
I can tell there's something that needs to be addressed.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BJ�RN YTTLING, BJOERN YTTLING, JOHN ERIKSSON, PETER MOREN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@samirdeoliveirafranco4036

muito legal.

@luisanunez837

One of my favorites!!! I'll see u guys tomorrow at kcrw show. I hope I can get a picture with you guys!!

@TheLudson14

🤟🏽💘

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