Don't Think You Wanna
Sleater-Kinney Lyrics


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Way up in the sky
That is where am I
I breathe the thin air
I like it way up there

In a bunch of trees
I'm down on my knees
I know what you are
I know what you are

I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
Mess around up there

I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
Mess around up there

Angels in the skies
Watch you with their eyes
They know what you are
They know what you are

Everything I say
Comes back to me one day
Everything you do
Comes back to stare at you

I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
Mess around up there

I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
No, I don't think you wanna
Mess around up there

Way up in the sky
That is where am I




I breathe the thin air
I like it way up there

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in Sleater-Kinney's song "Don't Think You Wanna" seem to allude to the idea of someone trying to escape from their problems and consequences by reaching higher ground, whether that means physically being up in the sky or metaphorically being above everyone else. The first verse showcases the singer's affinity for being in the sky, where they can breathe thin air and feel free. However, the subsequent verse suggests that the singer may be trying to run away from something or someone they know they shouldn't be involved with - someone who probably shares this desire for escape. The repetition of the line "I know what you are" makes it sound as if the singer is trying to convince themselves they are wise enough to understand the situation, but the chorus implies they may not be as in control as they appear, since they warn the other person "I don't think you wanna mess around up there."


Line by Line Meaning

Way up in the sky
The singer is in the sky.


That is where am I
The singer is in the sky.


I breathe the thin air
The singer is breathing the thin air in the sky.


I like it way up there
The singer likes being in the sky.


In a bunch of trees
The singer is on the ground, surrounded by trees.


I'm down on my knees
The singer is on their knees for some reason.


I know what you are
The singer knows what someone else is all about.


I don't think you wanna
The singer doubts someone's desire to do something.


Mess around up there
The singer does not think someone wants to engage in something potentially dangerous or risky in the sky.


Angels in the skies
There are angels watching from the sky.


Watch you with their eyes
The angels are watching someone carefully.


Everything I say
The singer is responsible for what they say.


Comes back to me one day
The consequences of what the singer says will come back to them in the future.


Everything you do
Someone else is responsible for their actions.


Comes back to stare at you
The consequences of someone else's actions will come back to them in the future.


Way up in the sky
The singer is in the sky.


That is where am I
The singer is in the sky.


I breathe the thin air
The singer is breathing the thin air in the sky.


I like it way up there
The singer likes being in the sky.




Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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