PLUMTREE was a quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Formed in 1993 wh… Read Full Bio ↴PLUMTREE was a quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Formed in 1993 when the sisters Carla Gillis and Lynette Gillis met up with Amanda Braden and Nina Martin, Plumtree quickly established themselves as one of the more original young bands in Canada. Catriona Sturton replaced Martin on bass later on.

The band quickly developed a highly collaborative songwriting method which combined catchy melodies, a serious approach to writing music and solid instrumentation.

Plumtree split up in 2000.

I Don't Know
Plumtree Lyrics

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I saw you walking just the other day
But you didn't notice me
You didn't even look my way
I saw you walking just the other day
But you didn't notice me
You didn't even look my way

And I don't know how it feels

To be all alone
But from what I felt that day
I don't want it anymore

And I don't know how it feels
To be all alone
But from what I felt that day
I don't want it anymore

And I don't know how it feels
To be all alone
But from what I felt that day
I don't want it anymore

And I don't know how it feels
To be all alone
But from what I felt that day
I don't want it anymore

A man was talking just the other day
Wasn't talking to me
But I listened anyway
He said "I'm lonely, I, I feel all alone,
My children grew up,
My wife died a year ago"

And I don't know how it feels
To be all alone
But from what I felt that day
I don't want it anymore

And I don't know how it feels
To be all alone

But from what I felt that day
I don't want it anymore

Overall Meaning

The song "I Don't Know" by Plumtree is a poignant narrative about the pain of loneliness and the longing for connection. In the verses, the singer sees someone they once cared for but who now seems indifferent to them, and reflects on the fear of being alone that this encounter brings up. The chorus expresses this fear in a universal way, with the repetition of the line "And I don't know how it feels to be all alone, but from what I felt that day, I don't want it anymore." The repetition of this line emphasizes the universality of this fear, suggesting that everyone has experienced some form of loneliness or isolation and wishes to avoid it.

The second verse adds to this theme by connecting it to the experience of an older man who has lost his family and is struggling with loneliness. This serves to deepen the emotional impact of the song, as it emphasizes the fact that loneliness is not only a fear of the young but also of the old. Through this exploration of loneliness, the song gives voice to a real and vulnerable experience that many people can relate to.

Line by Line Meaning

I saw you walking just the other day
I observed you walking recently

But you didn't notice me
You didn't acknowledge my presence

You didn't even look my way
You didn't turn your head in my direction

And I don't know how it feels
I have no personal experience in that regard

To be all alone
To experience a state of solitude

But from what I felt that day
Based on my emotions at that moment

I don't want it anymore
It is not a desirable state to be in

A man was talking just the other day
I overheard a conversation recently

Wasn't talking to me
The man was not addressing me

But I listened anyway
I paid attention to the conversation

He said 'I'm lonely, I, I feel all alone,
He expressed his feelings of loneliness