Who Killed Tangerine?
Tears for Fears Lyrics


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What ya gonna choose the poison or the lines
Lived with crazy pain in all your life
Something in your mind just tells you no
Hope in conversation starts to flow

Stuck inside a wheel, inside a wheel
Wondering everyday is it all for real
Blinking every time a cold wind blow
Our love don't fill a mile in rose

Danger remains
Wat ya gonna do when the old man reads you dry
Step down from the plane and pluck the eye
Slide in deeper closer to the bone
Don't you just wish your heart was made of stone?

Waxing like an old crack 45
Counting out the ways you could stay alive
Placing all the banks and feel the stones
My love won't leave her ways of foam

And when you think it's all over
It's not over, it's not over
And when you think it's all over
It's not over, it's not over
And when you think it's all over
It's not over, it's not over

Who killed tangerine?
The prettiest girl I've ever seen
Who killed tangerine?

Who killed tangerine?
The prettiest girl I've ever seen
Who killed tangerine?

And when you think it's all over
It's not over, it's not over
And when you think it's all over
It's not over, it's not over




And when you think it's all over
It's not over, it's not over

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tears for Fears’s song Who Killed Tangerine are quite cryptic, but they seem to be about a person who has been living with intense pain their entire life and is faced with a choice between poison and “the lines”, which could refer to drug addiction or some sort of escape from their pain. The song also mentions “something in your mind just tells you no”, indicating a struggle between wanting to escape their pain and the realization that such an escape could have dire consequences.


The chorus asks the question “Who killed Tangerine?”, referring to a pretty girl who has been killed, apparently by someone who was close to her. The singer seems to be haunted by her death and the fact that her killer has not been brought to justice. The line “our love don’t fill a mile in rose” could point to the singer blaming themselves for not being able to save Tangerine, despite their love for her.


The rest of the song’s lyrics depict a person who is feeling lost and stuck, “stuck inside a wheel, inside a wheel” and wondering if anything is truly real. The line “Don’t you just wish your heart was made of stone?” suggests that the pain is so intense that the singer wishes they could simply shut off their emotions and become numb.


Overall, the song seems to be a meditation on trauma, pain, and the desire to escape it. The singer is haunted by the death of Tangerine and their own struggles with pain and addiction, and is grappling with the question of whether it’s possible to truly escape the pain or if it will always be a part of their life.


Line by Line Meaning

What ya gonna choose the poison or the lines
Will you choose a harmful substance or stick to the rules and guidelines?


Lived with crazy pain in all your life
You have endured a lot of pain throughout your life.


Something in your mind just tells you no
Your instincts are telling you not to do something.


Hope in conversation starts to flow
Having a conversation with someone gives you hope.


Stuck inside a wheel, inside a wheel
You feel trapped and unable to break free from a cycle.


Wondering everyday is it all for real
You question the reality of your situation every day.


Blinking every time a cold wind blow
You are always on edge and startle easily.


Our love don't fill a mile in rose
Our love is not perfect and is more like a thorny rose instead of a beautiful one.


Danger remains
The danger is still present.


Wat ya gonna do when the old man reads you dry
What will you do when you face harsh criticism from someone who has authority or experience?


Step down from the plane and pluck the eye
You are taking a risk and exposing yourself to danger.


Slide in deeper closer to the bone
You are getting closer to the core of the issue, but it is also more risky and uncomfortable.


Don't you just wish your heart was made of stone?
Sometimes it feels like it would be easier to have a hardened heart that can't be hurt.


Waxing like an old crack 45
You are feeling worn out and used, like an old vinyl record.


Counting out the ways you could stay alive
You are considering all of your options to survive a difficult situation.


Placing all the banks and feel the stones
You are putting all of your resources and effort into something, even if it is not guaranteed to succeed.


My love won't leave her ways of foam
My love is not constant and may disappear like foam on water.


And when you think it's all over
Just when you believe that everything has ended,


It's not over, it's not over
There is still more to come.


Who killed tangerine?
Who is responsible for the death of the beautiful girl?


The prettiest girl I've ever seen
She was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Charlton Clay Pettus, Curt Smith, Roland Orzabal

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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