Fakin? It
Simon & Garfunkel Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When she goes, she's gone.
If she stays, she stays here.
The girl does what she wants to do.
She knows what she wants to do.
And I know I'm fakin' it,
I'm not really makin' it.

I'm such a dubious soul,
And a walk in the garden
Wears me down.
Tangled in the fallen vines,
Pickin' up the punch lines,
I've just been fakin' it,
Not really makin' it.

Is there any danger?
No, no, not really.
Just lean on me.
Takin' time to treat
Your friendly neighbors honestly.
I've just been fakin' it,
I'm not really makin' it.
This feeling of fakin' it-
I still haven't shaken it.

Prior to this lifetime
I surely was a tailor.
("Good morning, Mr. Leitch.
Have you had a busy day?")
I own the tailor's face and hands
I am the tailor's face and hands and
I know I'm fakin' it,
I'm not really makin' it.




This feeling of fakin' it-
I still haven't shaken it.

Overall Meaning

The song "Fakin' It" by Simon & Garfunkel is an introspection on the persona and the real self. The singer is not confident in his skills and feels that he is just faking his way through life without doing anything of substance. The lyrics express a sense of insecurity and the struggle to find oneself. The line "When she goes, she's gone. If she stays, she stays here" is a metaphor for the singer's emotional detachment and the emotional consequences of his "faking it" personality. He is not able to connect with others on an emotional level because he is not confident in his own identity.


The song has a melancholic quality that echoes the difficulty of self-discovery. The lines "I'm such a dubious soul, And a walk in the garden Wears me down" describe the singer's emotional exhaustion and the difficulty he faces in facing his own true self. The line "Is there any danger? No, no, not really. Just lean on me" expresses the singer's willingness to help others, despite his own issues with authenticity. Overall, the song is a commentary on the difficulty of finding oneself and the struggle to create an identity in a world full of distractions.


Line by Line Meaning

When she goes, she's gone.
Once she decides to leave, she's gone for good.


If she stays, she stays here.
If she chooses to stay, she's going to stay with me.


The girl does what she wants to do.
She's independent and makes her own decisions.


She knows what she wants to do.
She's confident in her choices and knows what she wants.


And I know I'm fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it.
I'm not as confident as she is and feel like I'm pretending to be successful.


I'm such a dubious soul, And a walk in the garden Wears me down.
I'm unsure of myself and even a simple walk outside exhausts me mentally.


Tangled in the fallen vines, Pickin' up the punch lines, I've just been fakin' it, Not really makin' it.
I'm struggling to keep up with the world around me and feel like I'm just pretending to understand.


Is there any danger? No, no, not really. Just lean on me.
There's nothing to be worried about, I'll be here to support you.


Takin' time to treat Your friendly neighbors honestly.
It's important to treat those around you with kindness and honesty.


I've just been fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it. This feeling of fakin' it- I still haven't shaken it.
I'm still struggling with feeling like I'm not good enough.


Prior to this lifetime I surely was a tailor. ("Good morning, Mr. Leitch. Have you had a busy day?")
In a previous life, I may have been a tailor, as referenced in this conversation.


I own the tailor's face and hands I am the tailor's face and hands and I know I'm fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it.
I feel disconnected from my own body and sense of identity, feeling like I'm just going through the motions without truly living.


This feeling of fakin' it- I still haven't shaken it.
I'm still struggling with the feeling of inadequacy and not truly belonging.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SIMON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

shiragazome

When she goes, she's gone.
If she stays, she stays here.
The girl does what she wants to do.
She knows what she wants to do.
And I know I'm fakin' it
I'm not really makin' it.

I'm such a dubious soul,
And a walk in the garden
Wears me down.
Tangled in the fallen vines
Pickin' up the punch lines
I've just been fakin' it
Not really makin' it.

Is there any danger?
No, no, not not really.
Just lean on me.
Takin' time to treat
Your friendly neighbors honestly.
I've just been fakin' it, fakin' it
Not really makin' it.
This feeling of fakin' it
I still haven't shaken it.

Prior to this lifetime
I surely was a tailor
Look at me

( good morning, Mr Leitch. Have you had a busy day? )

I own the tailor's face and hands.
I am the tailor's face and hands
I know I'm fakin' it, fakin' it
I'm not really makin' it.
This feeling of fakin' it
I still haven't shaken it.
I know I'm fakin' it,
I'm not really makin' it.



Kaan Işık

When she goes, she's gone
If she stays, she stays here
The girl does what she wants to do
She knows what she wants to do
And I know I'm fakin' it
I'm not really makin' it
I'm such a dubious soul
And a walk in the garden
Wears me down
Tangled in the fallen vines
Pickin' up the punchlines
I've just been fakin' it
Not really makin' it
Is there any danger?
No, not not really
Just lean on me
Takin' time to treat your friendly neighbors honestly
I've just been fakin' it (fakin' it)
I'm not really makin' it
This feeling of fakin' it
I still haven't shaken it
Prior to this lifetime
I surely was a tailor
Look at me
I own the tailor's face and hands
I am the tailor's face and hands and
I know I'm fakin' it (fakin' it)
I'm not really makin' it
This feeling of fakin' it
I still haven't shaken it (shaken it)
I know I'm fakin' it
I'm not really makin' it



All comments from YouTube:

BloodyBlonde Baby

Tonight I was feeling incredibly lonely... Nothing could fix it. Not talking to someone, not drawing, or writing... but the moment that I put this on I instantly felt comfort. Thank you Simon and Garfunkel.

Tee Gee

BloodyBlonde Baby Safer than drugs😄

Steve Norcott

Yup!! You have to have "Bookends" beginning to end, 👏brilliant

mungobrass

Bless you and strength. I love this song. Nearly forgot it played a lot when I was younger. Glad to have found it again 😊👊

mungobrass

Sorry wish I had seen your message 10 years ago! Hope u are ok x

soarornor

It’s really a great one. One of my all time faves.

3 More Replies...

Sam P

My favorite song from these guys. Sounds as fresh today as back then. What a great song!

Frankincensed

I grew up on Zep, Deep Purple, Floyd, Sabbath, Rush, Stones but there's always been my sister's record collection that I'd sneak over to on occasion when she wasn't home: Simon and Garfunkel, Seals and Crofts, Cat Stevens, Joni Mitchel. You just can't ignore great music, no matter the variety or genre.

David McConville

+Frankincensed absolutely

m3na9

Put them all together (and add 6 dozen more like King Crimson and Grand Fund Railroad) and you had my record collection. :D

More Comments

More Versions