You Don't Have to Prove Yourself
The Fixx Lyrics


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Sitting there eating your heart out
Jealous of people who don't seem to question life
Caught in a maelstrom, missing the moment
Rhyme without reason, chained to your bed
Should have done this, would have done that
Superficial life always finds you in a trap
Still you judge, bear the grudge, anyway
You don't have to prove yourself to me
We don't have to judge each other constantly
You don't have to lose yourself for me
It's enough to breathe together, letting each other be

Another year slipping between us
The tree's grown, what have we to show
For all the time spent in excess
Will we say, 'if we'd only known'
Could have done this, would have done that
Should have pulled a rabbit from our hats
But we still play the game the same anyway

There are times I see through the madness
Clues in our instincts, like the urge to run wild
Talking to people, dance 'round the fire
There is communion in all our desires




Let's drop the act, face the facts
Two ends of the same stick, you and me

Overall Meaning

The Fixx's song "You Don't Have to Prove Yourself" is a powerful message encouraging the listener to let go of the need to constantly prove oneself and compare oneself to others. The opening verse sets the scene of someone who is feeling trapped in a superficial, meaningless life, stuck in regrets about the past and worries about the future. The second verse highlights the passing of time and the need to focus on what truly matters in life.


The chorus is quite simple and straightforward, but the message is clear: we do not need to constantly try to prove ourselves to others or judge them. Instead, we can simply breathe together and let each other be. The final verse brings a glimmer of hope, suggesting that there are times when we can see through the madness of life and find a sense of communion with others. The song ends with a call to drop the act and face the fact that we are all in this together.


Line by Line Meaning

Sitting there eating your heart out
Feeling miserable and unhappy about your life while doing nothing to change or improve it.


Jealous of people who don't seem to question life
Feeling envious of individuals who don't struggle with existential questions or find purpose in their experiences.


Caught in a maelstrom, missing the moment
Feeling overwhelmed by the chaos of life and failing to appreciate the present moment.


Rhyme without reason, chained to your bed
Feeling trapped and stifled by the monotony and unfulfillment of daily existence.


Should have done this, would have done that
Regretting missed opportunities or wishing you had acted differently in the past.


Superficial life always finds you in a trap
Living a shallow, unfulfilling life will inevitably lead to feeling stuck and unhappy.


Still you judge, bear the grudge, anyway
Despite feeling unhappy and unfulfilled, you still hold onto resentment and negativity towards others.


You don't have to prove yourself to me
You don't have to feel like you need to show yourself off or impress me in order to be accepted.


We don't have to judge each other constantly
We don't have to constantly criticize and judge each other in order to maintain a relationship.


You don't have to lose yourself for me
You don't have to give up your own identity or desires in order to please me or be with me.


It's enough to breathe together, letting each other be
Simply being present with each other and allowing each other to be themselves is enough to create intimacy and connection.


Another year slipping between us
Time is passing by quickly, and we may not be fully appreciating the moments we have together.


The tree's grown, what have we to show
Time has passed and things have changed, but we may not have anything tangible to show for it.


For all the time spent in excess
Despite having spent a lot of time together, we may not have made the most of that time.


Will we say, 'if we'd only known'
We may regret our actions or lack of actions in the future if we don't start appreciating our time together now.


Could have done this, would have done that
Regretting missed opportunities or wishing you had acted differently in the past.


Should have pulled a rabbit from our hats
We should have been more creative or resourceful in the past in order to build a stronger relationship.


But we still play the game the same anyway
Despite regretting our past behavior, we continue to act in the same way and not make changes to improve our relationship.


There are times I see through the madness
Occasionally, we are able to see beyond the chaos and confusion of life and appreciate its beauty and meaning.


Clues in our instincts, like the urge to run wild
Our intuition or gut feelings may guide us towards our true desires or passions, which can provide a sense of freedom and fulfillment.


Talking to people, dance 'round the fire
Connecting with others and enjoying shared experiences can provide a sense of community and belonging.


There is communion in all our desires
We are all seeking similar things in life, and by recognizing this, we can feel a sense of unity and understanding with others.


Let's drop the act, face the facts
Let's be honest and authentic with each other, and acknowledge the reality of our situation.


Two ends of the same stick, you and me
We are both part of the same relationship or experience, and our actions and attitudes impact each other equally.




Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

tinfoilhatter

Sitting there eating your heart out
Jealous of people who don't seem to question life
Caught in a maelstrom, missing the moment
Rhyme without reason, chained to your bed
Should have done this, would have done that
Superficial life always finds you in a trap
Still you judge, bear the grudge, anyway

You don't have to prove yourself to me
We don't have to judge each other constantly
You don't have to lose yourself for me
It's enough to breathe together, letting each other be

Another year slipping between us
The tree's grown, what have we to show
For all the time spent in excess
Will we say, 'if we'd only known'
Could have done this, would have done that
Should have pulled a rabbit from our hats
But we still play the game the same anyway

There are times I see through the madness
Clues in our instincts, like the urge to run wild
Talking to people, dance 'round the fire
There is communion in all our desires
Let's drop the act, face the facts
Two ends of the same stick, you and me



All comments from YouTube:

mcbruski

sweet, glad to see these guys still cranking it out after all these years together, thanx for putting this up.

tinfoilhatter

Sitting there eating your heart out
Jealous of people who don't seem to question life
Caught in a maelstrom, missing the moment
Rhyme without reason, chained to your bed
Should have done this, would have done that
Superficial life always finds you in a trap
Still you judge, bear the grudge, anyway

You don't have to prove yourself to me
We don't have to judge each other constantly
You don't have to lose yourself for me
It's enough to breathe together, letting each other be

Another year slipping between us
The tree's grown, what have we to show
For all the time spent in excess
Will we say, 'if we'd only known'
Could have done this, would have done that
Should have pulled a rabbit from our hats
But we still play the game the same anyway

There are times I see through the madness
Clues in our instincts, like the urge to run wild
Talking to people, dance 'round the fire
There is communion in all our desires
Let's drop the act, face the facts
Two ends of the same stick, you and me

Kismet Spiral

Bloody great lyrics! And APT!

1 More Replies...

poohkie752000

LOVE IT!

RUBÉN VARGAS SAMANIEGO

Excellent!!!

LH

Buenísimo!

artistinstinct

BEST! REGARDLESS....ALL OF THE SUAVE APPROACH AND ENTITLEMENT OF THE LYRIC FOUNDED! WISH IT WAS HOURS LONG!!!

tony antoine

the fixx the best

tinfoilhatter

can there be-any-'question'?

edgardo gregorini

thanks Aven for add this difficult tune to youtube

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