Preyed Upon
Tanita Tikaram Lyrics

When your life has all been token
When you feel like everything in your life has been reduced to a token amount, a mere symbol or representation of what it should be

And your stance is akin to broken hearts
And when your posture and attitude resemble those of someone who has suffered from heartbreak

You've grown weary - I'm not weary
You have become tired and disheartened, but I am still energetic and enthusiastic

I can take your part
I can support and defend you in whatever challenges come your way

It's eye-open time, sailor
It's a wake-up call, a moment of clarity and realization, my friend

When they want you to pretend
When the people or circumstances around you require you to act like someone you're not or to hide your true feelings

You were inside that playground
You were once young and carefree, taking joy in simple pleasures and innocent fun

You may be old - but not so old
You may have aged and experienced more of life, but you still have vitality and the capacity for wonder and adventure

That I can't see
There are things about you that I can't fully comprehend or understand

See your old friends and it's as fresh as dew
When you reunite with people you used to know, it feels as if no time has passed and everything is new and exciting again

But see what's new and it's all the same to you
Despite encountering new people or situations, you feel as if they are predictable and unremarkable, lacking in novelty or originality

Now I'm not choosy and I'm just half grown
Nowadays, I'm less picky and more open-minded, and I still have a lot of growing and maturing to do

I took the old man - I gave the old man
I took an elderly man into my care and provided him with assistance and companionship

I took the old man back home
I returned the man to his place of residence or his hometown, where he could feel more comfortable and familiar

Safe with us to serenade
In our company, he feels secure and content, and we can offer him pleasant and soothing musical entertainment

To hang around your black scarf and black ways
To spend time in your dark, moody, and perhaps unconventional or rebellious style

I have "no idea" he said, "no idea of what I'll do"
The man reminisces about a conversation in which someone else expresses confusion or uncertainty about their future

And talking less - it chases home
And speaking less frequently or softly can bring us closer to our true selves and our intimate surroundings

It chases dreams - but I have really no reason, no goal and so
It also diminishes the influence of our ambitious or fantastical aspirations, but I personally lack any strong motivation or direction

If you "want to" play real basic
If you are interested in engaging in something simple, straightforward, and unadorned

If you "want to" help us make it
If you are inclined to assist us in achieving some undefined or unspecified objective

Don't forget you're alone
Don't overlook or deny the fact that you are solitary and self-contained

Unless it's all alone
Unless you actually prefer or enjoy being alone, without external distractions or influences

You get preyed upon
In either case, you become vulnerable to being exploited or manipulated by others, without genuine emotional connections or support

Ohh oh
A nonspecific vocalization expressing dissatisfaction, frustration, or disappointment

I need to complicate you
I need to make things more complex or challenging for you, so you can confront your limitations and reveal your true potential

To make you hate the things you might have done
To encourage you to critically examine your choices and behaviors, and to regret some of them, in order to learn and grow from them

And come out into the morning
And emerge from a period of darkness, confusion, or doubt, into a new and hopeful day

It's the sun you want
It's not just any kind of illumination or illumination, but specifically the warmth and joy of sunlight that you desire

Not the foreign time
Not some distant or unfamiliar period or place, but your present and immediate reality