House Of Cards
Radiohead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And fall off the table
Get swept under
Denial, denial
The infrastructure will collapse
Voltage spikes
Throw your keys in the bowl
Kiss your husband goodnight
And forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table
And get swept under
Denial, denial
Denial, denial
(Your ears should be burning)
Denial, denial
(Your ears should be burning)
The lyrics of this song are about a toxic relationship where one person wants more than the other. The singer states that they don't want friendship; they just want to be the lover of the person they are addressing. They are willing to pursue this relationship no matter how it ends, whether they are accepted or rejected. Then, the chorus comes in, "Forget about your house of cards, and I'll do mine." The "house of cards" here is a metaphor for the delicate balance that each person in the relationship is trying to maintain. The singer wants the other person to let go of their guard and abandon the balance that they have built, so they can pursue the relationship with honesty and emotional depth. They want the other person to stop denying their feelings and embrace what they truly want. The end of the chorus indicates that the singer will do the same; they will let go of their careful balancing act.
The bridge begins with "The infrastructure will collapse." The infrastructure here may represent the emotional infrastructure of the relationship, as the voltage spikes may refer to the buildup of tension between the two parties. The following lines suggest a lifestyle change where keys are being thrown in a bowl, potentially implying an open relationship or an affair. The chorus repeats with the implication that denying the emotions of the relationship will only lead to failure and may lead to one person getting hurt. The repetition of 'denial, denial’ further stresses the importance of not denying one's feelings and accepting them.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be your friend
I desire to be your lover, not just a mere friend.
I just want to be your lover
I am not interested in pursuing a platonic relationship, only a romantic one.
No matter how it ends
The outcome of our relationship, either positive or negative, will not sway my desire for it.
No matter how it starts
Regardless of how our connection originated, my feelings remain unchanged.
Forget about your house of cards
Please disregard your fragile facade or unstable life and concentrate on us.
And I'll do mine
I will reciprocate the willingness to dismantle personal defenses for the sake of love.
And fall off the table
Despite some uncertainty or risk-taking, pursue the relationship without reservation.
Get swept under
Accept the unexpected consequences that may arise.
Denial, denial
Reluctance to confront the reality of the situation or personal weakness that may affect the relationship.
The infrastructure will collapse
The foundation of our world may disintegrate or be rendered obsolete.
Voltage spikes
Unforeseen conflicts or disagreements may endanger our relationship.
Throw your keys in the bowl
Making a cuckold of one's partner in a game of sexual exchange, similar to wife-swapping.
Kiss your husband goodnight
An instruction to an anonymous audience, probably for role-playing or sensual gain.
(Your ears should be burning)
You are the object of discussion or motivation for changes to present attitudes or behavior.
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ryansample6016
Lyrics:
I don't want to be your friend
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table
Get swept under
Denial, denial
The infrastructure will collapse
Voltage spikes
Throw your keys in the bowl
Kiss your husband goodnight
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table
And get swept under
Denial, denial
Denial, denial
Your ears should be burning
Denial, denial
Your ears should be burning
@fahimfaysal7934
I don't wanna be your friend
I just wanna be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table,
And get swept under
Denial, denial
The infrastructure will collapse
From voltage spikes
Throw your keys in the bowl
Kiss your husband 'good night'
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table,
And get swept under
Denial, denial
Denial, denial
Your ears are burning
Denial, denial
Your ears should be burning
Denial, denial
@Strog_23
The good thing about Radiohead is they put you in touch with your feelings, the bad thing about Radiohead is they put you in touch with your feelings
@ashleyjohnson325
Exactly.
@javiivergaraa8542
Don't forget that they put you in touch with your feelings
@rayl2468
@@javiivergaraa8542 like deep feelings
@lucasc5622
wow so deep
@clairehansberry5137
Yep, absolutely but also the great thing about Radiohead, is when you feel neutral about things. Life isn’t fantastic but it’s not shit either, you can really appreciate how beautiful some of the songs are.
@tobiwilliams5294
Thom Yorke has the most fascinating, ethereal sounding voice I've ever heard
@redskies4530
Hi I recommend a new indie song and video called 'Looking Into The Mirror' By Robert Nix
@tobiwilliams5294
@@redskies4530 thank you!
@emamendez2321
That is called heavy reverb in post processing