Reader
Tellison Lyrics


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I think i know whats going on and you work yourself up to this everytime and thinking's just too much to ask just make another story she'll believe you i dont want to be formulaic i dont want to mean anything at all you and me are never going to agree so why dont we call it official call it the reader goes first the reader goes first




Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tellison's song "Reader" are a commentary on the power dynamics at play in a relationship. The singer suggests that one person is always trying to manipulate the other through storytelling or deception, while the other is left to pick up the pieces and try to make sense of it all. The line "thinking's just too much to ask" reveals the frustration and exhaustion that comes with trying to keep up with someone who is always spinning tales.


The repeated refrain of "the reader goes first" suggests that the person who holds the power is the one who is able to tell their version of events first, leaving the other person to either accept it or attempt to counter it. This dynamic creates a sense of inevitability and futility, as the singer acknowledges that "you and me are never going to agree." The final line, "why don't we call it official," implies that the relationship has reached a breaking point and that the singer is ready to move on.


Overall, "Reader" is a complex examination of the ways in which two people can become trapped in a cycle of manipulation and confusion. The use of storytelling as a metaphor adds an additional layer of meaning and allows the song to connect with people on a deeper level.


Line by Line Meaning

I think i know what's going on
I believe I have a grasp of the situation


And you work yourself up to this everytime
You become emotionally charged every time this happens


And thinking's just too much to ask
It seems like asking you to think is unreasonably difficult


Just make another story she'll believe you
Create another fabrication that she will accept as truth


I don't want to be formulaic
I do not want to be predictable


I don't want to mean anything at all
I prefer to have no significance whatsoever


You and me are never going to agree
We are never going to be in harmony with each other


So why don't we call it official
Let us officially agree to disagree


Call it the reader goes first
Let the reader have the first interpretation or opinion


The reader goes first
The reader's opinion or interpretation takes priority




Contributed by Ian F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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