Before beginning his solo career, Fulks joined the Bluegrass band Special Consensus. Here he showcased his unique guitar playing, and appeared on the Grammy-nominated album "Hole In My Heart" released in 1989. Fulks' solo debut, "Country Love Songs" was released on Bloodshot Records in 1996 to positive reviews. This album was followed by 1997's South Mouth, which cemented Fulks' retro-alternative image.
As fans had grown used to Bloodshot's rough and sparse sound, many were shocked by the release of Fulks' third album, 1998's "Let's Kill Saturday Night," on Geffen Records. When Geffen disbanded shortly after the release of the record, Fulks found himself without a label, and did the logical thing, starting his own company, Boondoggle Records (distributed by Bloodshot), and releasing an album of previously unreleased material called "The Very Best of Robbie Fulks."
2001 saw the release of both "Couples in Trouble," a dark, brooding, and decidedly non-country album, and, just 3 months later, "13 Hillbilly Giants," a collection of covers of classic country numbers both obscure and well known.
Fulks would not release another album until 2005, when the release of "Georgia Hard" showed a return to his county roots. He also gained attention for a novelty single he wrote called "Fountains of Wayne Hotline," in which he imagined the power pop band Fountains of Wayne as having a hotline which struggling songwriters could call for help with their song structure.
You Shouldn't Have
Robbie Fulks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you know, that you did it
And there ain't no use to deny it
I got you dead to rights, baby
Now, you're gone
And made me mad
Now, you bat your pretty eyes with a tale
No monkey'd ever buy it
Is that a line you're handin' me, girl?
Well, you shouldn't have, no, you shouldn't have
You shouldn't have let half the home town at you
You shouldn't 've told a lie and you shouldn't 've let me catch you
You shouldn't have cheated when you could've been treating me right
Now, there's scratches on your back
Smoke on your breath
Your baby blues could use a blood lettin'
You partied all night, pickin' up everything but the tab
But I'm handin' you the bill for a thousand tears spilled
And I'm gonna be a long time forgettin'
Thanks so much for wreckin' my heart
Well, you shouldn't have, no, you shouldn't have
You shouldn't have let half the home town at you
You shouldn't 've told a lie and you shouldn't 've let me catch you
You shouldn't have cheated when you could've been treating me right
Well, if you had to go places where you shouldn't have been
You shouldn't have bothered comin' home again
I don't need what you gimme in the cold light of dawn
Only what you give away, all night long
You did what you did and you know that you did it
'Cause the knees are ripped out from your stockings
Yeah, next time you crawl through the gutter, better cover your track
But when you're done raisin' hell, ringin' all the boys' bells
Don't you come round here a knockin'
'Cause everything you've done to me, girl
Well, you shouldn't have, oh, you shouldn't have
You shouldn't have let half the home town at you
You shouldn't 've told a lie and you shouldn't 've let me catch you
You shouldn't have cheated when you could've been treating me right
You shouldn't have cheated when you could've been treating me right
In Robbie Fulks's song "You Shouldn't Have", he expresses his anger and disappointment towards a cheating partner. He starts off by addressing the fact that the partner cannot deny their actions anymore, and there is no use in hiding the truth. Fulks then proceeds to talk about the evidence of the partner's infidelity, such as scratches on their back and smoke on their breath. He also mentions how the partner had been partying all night, with no consideration for the relationship that they were in.
The chorus of the song is the most impactful, as Fulks highlights all the things that the partner should not have done. The partner should not have let half the hometown at them, should not have told lies, should not have let Fulks catch them cheating, and should not have cheated when they could have been treating Fulks right. These lyrics are a clear indication of how the partner's actions have hurt Fulks, who is now left to deal with the aftermath of their betrayal.
The last verse is particularly scathing, as Fulks warns the partner not to come back to him after they have "done raisin' hell". He tells them that everything they have done to him has been wrong and that they shouldn't have done it. The song ends with the chorus, which reiterates how the partner should not have treated Fulks the way that they did.
Overall, "You Shouldn't Have" is a powerful song that speaks to the pain of being betrayed by a loved one. Fulks's lyrics are filled with anger and frustration, which pour out in the chorus as he tells the partner all the things they should not have done.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you did what you did
You committed the acts that you committed
And you know, that you did it
You are aware of the actions you took
And there ain't no use to deny it
There is no point in trying to refute what you did
I got you dead to rights, baby
I have clear evidence of your wrongdoings
Now, you're gone
You have left me
And made me mad
And you have made me angry
You been cattin' on a sly
You have been cheating secretly
Now, you bat your pretty eyes with a tale
Now you try to deceive me with an excuse
No monkey'd ever buy it
But no one would ever believe it
Is that a line you're handin' me, girl?
Are you seriously trying to sell me that story?
Well, you shouldn't have, no, you shouldn't have
You should not have done what you did
You shouldn't have let half the home town at you
You should not have been unfaithful with so many people
You shouldn't 've told a lie and you shouldn't 've let me catch you
You should not have lied and been caught in your lie
You shouldn't have cheated when you could've been treating me right
You should not have been disloyal when you could have been treating me well
Now, there's scratches on your back
You have physical marks of infidelity
Smoke on your breath
The odor of cigarette smoke indicates your irresponsibility
Your baby blues could use a blood lettin'
Your blue eyes deserve punishment
You partied all night, pickin' up everything but the tab
You spent excessively, but did not pay for it
But I'm handin' you the bill for a thousand tears spilled
I am blaming you for a lot of emotional damage
And I'm gonna be a long time forgettin'
It will take me a long time to get over this
Thanks so much for wreckin' my heart
Thank you for devastating me emotionally
Well, if you had to go places where you shouldn't have been
If you had to cheat, which is a wrong thing to do
You shouldn't have bothered comin' home again
You should not come back home to me
I don't need what you gimme in the cold light of dawn
I do not need the false hope that you give me in the morning
Only what you give away, all night long
I only want your true self, which you show at nighttime
You did what you did and you know that you did it
You committed an act that you are aware is wrong
'Cause the knees are ripped out from your stockings
Because your stockings show signs of being torn by another man
Yeah, next time you crawl through the gutter, better cover your track
Next time you cheat, you better make sure to be more careful
But when you're done raisin' hell, ringin' all the boys' bells
When you are done being unfaithful and flirting with other men
Don't you come round here a-knockin'
Do not come back to me
'Cause everything you've done to me, girl
Because you have done me wrong
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: ALAN ANDERSON, ROB FULKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind