"Another old track. I wrote the guitar part on Dartmoor, and Beth wrote thi… Read Full Bio ↴"Another old track. I wrote the guitar part on Dartmoor, and Beth wrote this song, and it hung around for ages because it sounded a bit miserable and folky; then at the last minute it became this backward–guitar Moondog thing. It ends abruptly. When Beth gave me the track back after I'd given her the layout of guitar, it turned out she had sung over it, and the track had run out, and she had carried on singing until she'd ended. We always liked that, so we used it on the final version." -Adrian Utley

Nylon Smile
Portishead Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'd like to laugh at what you said
But I just can't find a smile
I wonder why you can't
I struggle with myself
Hopping I might change a little
Hopping that I might be
Someone I wanna be

Looking out I wanna know someone might care
Looking out I want a reason to be there
'Cause I don't know what I've do to deserve you
And I don't know what I'll do, without you

Looking out I want to know some way might clear
Looking out I want a reason to repair
'Cause I don't know what I've done to deserve you
And I don't know what I'll do without you

I can't see nothing good
And nothing is so bad

I've never had the chance to explain
Exactly what I meant

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Portishead's song Nylon Smile convey a sense of emptiness and a lack of emotional connection. The singer describes their inability to feel joy, even in response to something that would normally be humorous. They express confusion as to why their partner is capable of finding something funny when they themselves cannot. The singer admits to struggling internally and hoping for the possibility of personal growth, so that they might become someone they would value.

The chorus expresses a desire for care and purpose. The singer longs for someone to care about them and to have a reason to exist. They feel undeserving of their partner's affection and uncertain of what their life would be like without them. The singer consistently looks outward, seeking reasons to repair and clear their confusion. They express regret for not having had the opportunity to fully communicate their thoughts and feelings in the past.

Overall, the lyrics to Nylon Smile depict inner turmoil and a search for connection and meaning. The singer is grappling with feelings of unworthiness and a lack of emotional depth, hoping to find a way to connect with their partner and the world around them.

Line by Line Meaning

I'd like to laugh at what you said
I wish I could find humor in your words

But I just can't find a smile
But I am unable to express happiness

I wonder why you can't
I wonder how you find joy in such things

I struggle with myself
I battle with my inner self

Hopping I might change a little
Hoping that I can improve myself

Hopping that I might be
Hoping that I might become

Someone I wanna be
The person that I aspire to be

Looking out I wanna know someone might care
I yearn for someone to show me that they care

Looking out I want a reason to be there
I want a purpose for my existence

'Cause I don't know what I've do to deserve you
Because I am uncertain of why you are here for me

And I don't know what I'll do, without you
And I am unsure of how I will cope without you