Keep On Lying
Tame Impala Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All I give are little clues
Maybe one day I'll get through
There is nothing I can do
I'll just keep on lying to you

I only need to say its true
Your poor little heart already knew
But there is nothing you can do
I'll just keep on lying to you

Should my cover ever blow
Would you ever let it go?
There is something you should know
But hell if I'd ever let it show

So here I am, trying to be strong
It was noon, now my shadow's long
I guess I'll go and tell you just as soon as I
Get to the end of this song
To the end of this song, to the end of this song
To the end of this song, to the end of this song

The curse has won again
Soon I'll be alone
Take all you can
But please understand
It never really was love

All I give are little clues
Maybe one day I'll get through




But there is nothing you can do
I'll just keep on lying to you

Overall Meaning

In "Keep On Lying," Tame Impala sings about the futility of attempting to cover up one's own innermost feelings and motivations, and the damage that can result from dishonesty in relationships. The lyrics suggest that the singer is in a relationship where they are lying about their feelings for their partner, possibly to avoid hurting them or because they are afraid of being vulnerable. The repeated line "there is nothing you can do, I'll just keep on lying to you" underscores the sense of inevitability and helplessness that pervades the song.


The singer is aware that they are not being honest, and that their partner is probably aware of this as well, as evidenced by the lines "I only need to say it's true, your poor little heart already knew." The singer's fear of exposure is palpable in lines like "should my cover ever blow, would you ever let it go?" The repetition of the line "to the end of this song" creates a sense of urgency and foreboding, as if the singer knows that their secrets will eventually come to light.


The final lines of the song, "the curse has won again, soon I'll be alone, take all you can, but please understand it never really was love," suggest that the singer is trapped in this cycle of dishonesty and unable to break free. The reference to a curse could suggest that the singer views their inability to be honest as a kind of haunting or supernatural force. The line "take all you can" suggests that the singer's partner is aware of the deception, and may be trying to extract what little emotional intimacy they can from the relationship before it inevitably falls apart.


Overall, "Keep On Lying" is a haunting meditation on the power of secrets and the futility of concealment in relationships. By exploring the psychological toll of dishonesty on both the self and others, the song presents a powerful warning about the risk of concealing one's true feelings.


Line by Line Meaning

All I give are little clues
I only give subtle hints about the truth.


Maybe one day I'll get through
Perhaps someday you'll understand what really happened.


There is nothing I can do
I cannot change the past, no matter how hard I try.


I'll just keep on lying to you
I'm afraid to tell you the truth, so I'll continue to deceive you.


I only need to say its true
The truth is self-evident, but I refuse to acknowledge it.


Your poor little heart already knew
You've always suspected the truth, deep down inside.


But there is nothing you can do
Even if you knew the truth, you couldn't change what happened.


Should my cover ever blow
If my deception is ever uncovered,


Would you ever let it go?
Would you be able to forgive me?


There is something you should know
There's more to the story that I haven't told you.


But hell if I'd ever let it show
I'm too afraid to reveal the whole truth.


So here I am, trying to be strong
I'm struggling to keep up the facade of strength.


It was noon, now my shadow's long
Time has passed and the consequences of my actions are starting to catch up with me.


I guess I'll go and tell you just as soon as I Get to the end of this song
I'll reveal everything, but it won't be easy.


The curse has won again
Fate has conspired against me, and I have lost once more.


Soon I'll be alone
My actions will eventually lead to my isolation and loneliness.


Take all you can
Take what you need from me, but don't expect the truth.


But please understand
I hope you can see why I've done what I've done.


It never really was love
Perhaps what we had wasn't love after all.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kevin Parker

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 comment from YouTube:

@edwinm.5729

Lyrics

All I give are little clues
Maybe one day I'll get through
There is nothing I can do
I'll just keep on lying to you

I only need to say its true
Your poor little heart already knew
But there is nothing you can do
I'll just keep on lying to you

Should my cover ever blow
Would you ever let it go?
There is something you should know
But hell if I'd ever let it show

So here I am, trying to be strong
It was noon, now my shadow's long
I guess I'll go and tell you just as soon as I
Get to the end of this song
To the end of this song, to the end of this song
To the end of this song, to the end of this song

The curse has won again
Soon I'll be alone
Take all you can
But please understand
It never really was love

All I give are little clues
Maybe one day I'll get through
But there is nothing you can do
I'll just keep on lying to you



All comments from YouTube:

@willtardis1752

Most underrated song of all time. Idk, why people don’t talk about this one that much.

@travist6090

That’s alright it’s our hidden gem

@SafaAlkan

All time ? Don't exaggerating pls. Song is nice btw

@sterkar99

True its definitely in the top 5. That one and Beverly Laurel

@mendezzoso

when it released my friends and i had this one on repeat!!

@spell931

this one is actually my favorite across entire discography :)

66 More Replies...

@thecursedone6004

I heard in a youtube video somewhere that the instrumental part simulates being a loner. You're trying your hardest to listen in on the conversation, be a part of it, but you can't make out any words, you can't engage in whatever is happening, and eventually revert back to inside your head as the music overpowers the conversation.

@abrahamg5510

Broooo

@tommyhofer1176

sheesh

@nugsandslugs4177

Dude really good observation

More Comments

More Versions