I'm Not Over You
R.E.M. Lyrics


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(Buck/Mills/Stipe)

I feel great. I lied to save your feelings.
Truth convened, my head smashed through the celling
I lost an arm, no one harmed, you diplomatically alarmed
I sulked away to lick my thin skin
I'm not over you, I'm not over you, I'm not over you




Overall Meaning

R.E.M.'s "I'm Not Over You" is a song that delves deep into the after-effects of a heartbreak. The opening lines offer a contradictory tone, where the singer claims to feel great despite having lied to spare somebody's feelings. The line "Truth convened, my head smashed through the ceiling" highlights the fact that the singer has finally accepted the reality of the situation, that they cannot undo the break-up no matter how much they wished to. The next line, "I lost an arm, no one harmed, you diplomatically alarmed" signifies that while the singer got hurt in the process, nobody else was directly affected by the split. However, the partner's reaction to the situation left the singer feeling conflicted about their own emotions.


The chorus of the song, where the singer repeats the line "I'm not over you," emphasizes the underlying fact that heartbreak is not an easy thing to overcome. Even though the event happened some time ago, the singer still seems to be grappling with the pain of separation. The final sentence of the song "I sulked away to lick my thin skin," implies that the singer is still suffering from the breakup, and the only thing they can do is hide away to bear the pain.


Line by Line Meaning

I feel great. I lied to save your feelings.
I am feeling good, but I had to lie to protect your emotions.


Truth convened, my head smashed through the ceiling
After the truth was revealed, I was shocked and overwhelmed.


I lost an arm, no one harmed, you diplomatically alarmed
I suffered a great loss, yet no one was physically hurt, but your diplomatic reaction made me feel uneasy.


I sulked away to lick my thin skin
I retreated to deal with the aftermath and to heal my emotions.


I'm not over you, I'm not over you, I'm not over you
I still have strong feelings for you and have not moved on, even though I may want to.




Contributed by Carter W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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