Selfish
Tensnake Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There was a time when it was all about us, nobody more
Seems like every other night you're out that door
And I don't know what you're doing, maybe pursuing another man
There was a time when I'd lay it all down on the line
And bare everything I had til you were mine
But now all bets are off, can't afford the cost of loving you

Why you so selfish? Be by my side,
I'll runaway and hide til I can't help it
I know you're not here with me
Just how much more giving can I take?

There was a time when you didn't care at all if you were poor
Now all you seem to want is to have more
And the cash you keep on spending
It could be mending our broken lives
Back in the day, before all you cared about was yourself
Your concerns were more for love and heart and health
But I won't stick a brighter day
And the only cure for me is your love

Why you so selfish?
Be by my side, I'll runaway and hide til I can't help it
I know you're not here with me
Just how much more giving can I take?





Take it, take it all, take it, you'll take it all (x4)
Why are you so selfish?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tensnake featuring Jeremy Glenn's "Selfish" delve into the complexities of a romantic relationship. The song speaks of a time when the couple was in sync and nothing else mattered but them. However, the relationship takes a downward turn, and it seems that one partner has become more self-centered, concerned only with pursuing their desires and accumulating material possessions. Meanwhile, the other partner seems to be at a loss, confused and hurt by the change in dynamics.


The lyricist expresses feeling there's something off about their partner's actions and questions whether they are pursuing another man. They reminisce about when they were willing to do anything to win their partner's affection and be with them. However, now, they feel the love may not be worth it anymore. The chorus conveys the frustration of being in a relationship with someone who is selfish and only takes without giving back. They express feeling drained and tired of giving without their partner reciprocating.


"Selfish" is a poignant song serving as a cautionary tale of the potential hazards of loving someone who is self-centered. It also shows how the dynamics in a relationship can shift and change, leaving one partner feeling helpless and alone. The song's emotional depth is conveyed through the atmospheric beats and Glenn's powerful vocals.


Line by Line Meaning

There was a time when it was all about us, nobody more
There was a time when our love was all that mattered and we didn't need anyone else


Seems like every other night you're out that door
It feels like you go out every other night and I don't know why


And I don't know what you're doing, maybe pursuing another man
I don't know where you go or what you do, but I suspect you might be seeing someone else


There was a time when I'd lay it all down on the line
I used to be willing to do anything for you and give you everything I had


And bare everything I had til you were mine
I was vulnerable and open with my feelings until you reciprocated and became mine


But now all bets are off, can't afford the cost of loving you
But now I can't afford to keep trying to love you, and everything has changed


Why you so selfish? Be by my side, I'll runaway and hide til I can't help it
Why are you so self-centered? I want you to be with me and I'll do whatever it takes to make you stay


I know you're not here with me
I know that you're not physically present with me


Just how much more giving can I take?
I don't know how much more I can give to this relationship without receiving anything in return from you


There was a time when you didn't care at all if you were poor
There was a time when you didn't care about money or material things


Now all you seem to want is to have more
Now it appears that all you want is to accumulate more wealth and possessions


And the cash you keep on spending could be mending our broken lives
The money you spend on unnecessary things could be used to improve our struggling relationship


Back in the day, before all you cared about was yourself
In the past, you were more focused on love, emotions, and taking care of our relationship


Your concerns were more for love and heart and health
You were more interested in nurturing our love and maintaining our emotional and physical well-being


But I won't stick a brighter day
But I can't keep hoping for a brighter future or things to improve if you won't change


And the only cure for me is your love
The only thing that can make me happy and fulfilled is your true love and commitment


Take it, take it all, take it, you'll take it all (x4)
This line is repeated multiple times and possibly refers to the idea of giving everything to the person you love, but it could also speak to the feeling of being taken advantage of or overwhelmed by a selfish partner


Why are you so selfish?
This is a repeated question throughout the song, symbolizing the frustration and desperation of the singer who is begging for their partner to change and stop being self-centered




Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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