Bad Liar
Roses & Frey Lyrics
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And terrors don't prey on innocent victims
Trust me, darlin', trust me darlin'
It's been a loveless year
I'm a man of three fears
Integrity, faith, and crocodile tears
Trust me, darlin', trust me, darlin'
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
But I'm a bad liar, a bad liar
Now you know, now you know
I'm a bad liar, a bad liar
Now you know, you're free to go
Did all my dreams never mean one thing?
Does happiness lie in a diamond ring?
Oh, I've been askin' for
Oh, I've been askin' for problems, problems
I wage my war, on the world inside
I take my gun to the enemy's side
Oh, I've been askin' for
Oh, I've been askin' for problems, problems
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
But I'm a bad liar, a bad liar
Now you know, now you know
I'm a bad liar, a bad liar
Now you know, you're free to go
And I can't breathe, I can't be
I can't be what you want me to be
Believe me this one time
Believe me
The lyrics of Roses & Frey's song Bad Liar express the struggles of a person who has been through a challenging year and has been living a loveless life. The singer is a man who fears three things – integrity, faith, and crocodile tears. He pleads with his lover to trust him, as he knows the struggles she has been through. The singer is aware that his perfect paradise is tearing apart, indicating that he may have been pretending to be someone he is not. He wishes he could escape his problems and make his lover's heart believe him but admits that he is a bad liar.
The singer acknowledges that he has been asking for problems, and he incorporates war imagery to depict the battle he is fighting in his mind. He is aware that he may not have meant all his dreams, and he is unsure if happiness lies in a diamond ring. He tries to make his lover see that he is not what she wants him to be, and he pleads with her to believe him for once. Despite his struggles, he's a bad liar, and now she knows that she's free to go.
Overall, the singer recognises that he may not be perfect, and he cannot pretend otherwise. However, he still craves his lover's understanding and trust, despite his flaws.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, hush, my dear, it's been a difficult year
Please don't speak my name, I haven't had the best year
And terrors don't prey on innocent victims
I'm not being controlled by anyone, I have free will
Trust me, darlin', trust me darlin'
I am asking for your trust, please believe in me
It's been a loveless year
I haven't felt love or affection in a long time
I'm a man of three fears
I am afraid of three things
Integrity, faith, and crocodile tears
I am afraid of losing my sense of honesty, my beliefs, and insincere people
So look me in the eyes and tell me what you see
Look into my soul and read me like a book
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams
My perfect world is slowly falling apart
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
I don't want to pretend, I wish I could run away
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
I wish I could start over and make you trust me again
But I'm a bad liar, a bad liar
I am not good at hiding the truth
Now you know, now you know
You are aware of my deceit
Did all my dreams never mean one thing?
Were all my goals a waste of time?
Does happiness lie in a diamond ring?
Do material possessions bring true happiness?
Oh, I've been askin' for problems, problems
I have been tempting fate and asking for trouble
I wage my war, on the world inside
I am battling myself and my inner demons
I take my gun to the enemy's side
I confront my problems aggressively
So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see
Stare into my eyes and decide for yourself what kind of person I am
I wish I could escape it, I don't wanna fake it
I don't want to pretend, I wish I could run away
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe
I wish I could start over and make you trust me again
But I'm a bad liar, a bad liar
I am not good at hiding the truth
Now you know, now you know
You are aware of my deceit
And I can't breathe, I can't be
I am struggling to be myself, I feel suffocated
I can't be what you want me to be
I can't meet your expectations, I am not perfect
Believe me this one time
Please, just trust me this once
Writer(s): Aja Volkman, Ben Mckee
Contributed by Dominic M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.