"You don't have no Doctor Robert,
You don't have no Uncle Albert"
References the Beatles' song "Doctor Robert" as well as Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 hit "Uncle Albert". "Edit" has notably been covered by British anti-folk band The Red Army and is rumoured to be released as a single in the second quarter of 2008.
Edit
Regina Spektor Lyrics
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Keep it steady
You were never ready for the lies
White lines on your mind
Keep it steady
You were never ready for the lies
You don't have no uncle Albert
You don't even have good credit
You can write, but you can't edit
You don't have no doctor Robert
You don't have no uncle Albert
You don't even have good credit
You can write, but you can't edit
Edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit
White lines on your mind
Keep it steady
You were never ready for the lies
You don't have no doctor Robert
You don't have no uncle Albert
You don't even have good credit
You can write, but you can't edit
Edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit
The lyrics of Regina Spektor's song "Edit" describe someone who has been deceived and cannot seem to get rid of the false ideas in their head. The "white lines on your mind" could be interpreted as the individual's thoughts being clouded and distorted by lies, possibly planted by someone else. The repeated line "keep it steady" might be the person trying to maintain control over their thoughts and emotions while being bombarded with deception. The chorus repeats the assertion that the individual was "never ready for the lies" which could suggest that the lies caught them off guard and they were unprepared to deal with them.
The verses of the song add to the narrative by describing the person's circumstances. They have no "Doctor Robert" or "Uncle Albert" who they can turn to for help, and they don't even have "good credit" which could suggest that they are in a difficult financial situation. The line "you can write, but you can't edit" could be interpreted as the person being able to express themselves, but they struggle to discern what is true and what is not, hence why they can't edit their own thoughts.
Overall, "Edit" portrays someone who has been the victim of deception and is struggling to separate truth from lies, while navigating challenging circumstances alone.
Line by Line Meaning
White lines on your mind
You are constantly preoccupied with something that is leading you astray
Keep it steady
Maintain your focus and composure despite your distractions
You were never ready for the lies
You were unprepared to confront the deceitful and manipulative behavior of others
You don't have no doctor Robert
You lack a trustworthy or knowledgeable mentor or advisor to guide you
You don't have no uncle Albert
You don't have anyone in your life who is willing to offer you assistance or support
You don't even have good credit
You lack financial security and are unable to access resources that require a good credit score
You can write, but you can't edit
You have the ability to produce content, but you lack the skills or willingness to refine or improve it
Edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit
An urgent plea to revise and scrutinize one's work or behavior
White lines on your mind
A repetition of the opening line to emphasize the pervasiveness of one's distractions or addictions
Keep it steady
A repeated reminder to remain focused and in control of one's mind and actions
You were never ready for the lies
A repeated indictment of one's personal failures or shortcomings
You don't have no doctor Robert
A repetition that highlights one's lack of aid from someone with greater expertise, preventing growth or improvement
You don't have no uncle Albert
A restatement of one's sense of isolation and lack of support from anyone in your social circle
You don't even have good credit
A renewed recognition of a lack of resources and opportunities to progress in life due to one's shortcomings
You can write, but you can't edit
A reiteration of a personal limitation that is preventing positive progress
Edit, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit
A final, desperate plea for action to confront and overcome one's problems
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REGINA SPEKTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind