You Trip Me Up
The Jesus and Mary Chain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes
I walk sideways
To avoid you
When I've annoyed you
Love's like
The mighty ocean
That is your heart
What would I be
If I could free
I couldn't even walk
You trip me up
But you break me in two
And you throw me away
And you spit on my head
You trip me up
And you break me in two
And you throw me away
Knock me on my back
I'll send a heart attack
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip
I'd like to trip
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
The Jesus and Mary Chain's song You Trip Me Up presents a complex and emotional turmoil in a relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer seems to be trying to avoid their significant other, walking sideways to avoid confrontation. The song implies that there may have been some sort of fallout or argument, as the singer may have annoyed their partner enough to warrant such actions. The metaphor of comparing love's frozen heart to a frozen ocean adds to the already sombre and melancholic atmosphere of the song.
The chorus of the song presents the idea that the singer is trying to break free from the relationship, although he finds it difficult to do so. The line "You trip me up" can be understood as a metaphor for the partner repeatedly tearing him down and controlling him, making it hard for him to leave the relationship. The lyrics also suggest that the partner doesn't treat the singer with respect, throwing him away and spitting on him, further cementing the downcast mood of the song.
Overall, the song is an expression of the singer's conflicting emotions towards their partner. He feels trapped in the relationship due to the partner's controlling behaviour, yet he still desires their affection. The lyrics express a complex emotional struggle and highlight the difficulties of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes
There are moments in time where I feel a certain way
I walk sideways
I try to go unnoticed by changing the way I am moving
To avoid you
I am trying to not be in your presence
When I've annoyed you
I am attempting to escape you after upsetting you in some way
Love's like
The concept of love can be compared to
The mighty ocean
An immense and powerful force
When it's frozen
When it has become cold and unreachable
That is your heart
This describes the state of your emotions toward me
What would I be
If I was different, changed or improved
If I could free
If I were able to escape from this situation
I couldn't even walk
I would be unable to stand or move forward
You trip me up
You prevent me from moving on or making progress
But you break me in two
You have shattered me emotionally
And you throw me away
You discard me like something of no value
And you spit on my head
You humiliate me with your actions
Knock me on my back
You have completely defeated me
I'll send a heart attack
I will be emotionally devastated by your actions
I'd like to trip you up
I would enjoy causing you to fail or suffer as you have done to me
I'd like to trip
I want to cause harm in some way
I'd like to trip you up
I want to cause you pain or difficulty
Lyrics Β© DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: BILLY REID, WILLIAM ADAM REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gabe Pierce
Sometimes
I walk sideways
To avoid you
When I've annoyed you
Love like
The mighty ocean
When it's frozen
That is your heart
What would I be
If I could free
I couldn't even walk
You trip me up
But you break me in two
And you throw me away
And you spit in my cup
You trip me up
And you break me in two
And you throw me away
Knock me on my back
I'll send a heart attack
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip
I'd like to trip
I'd like to trip you up
I'd like to trip you up
Lulu B
The. Best. Band. In. The. Universe.
You canβt get much better than this.
Kimberly Vespa
Such a great song, I was one of those 80's kids dressed all in black putting up with people's crap...and to some people this band may sound dark, but they made me feel happy when I listened to them...I need to get another copy of Barbed Wire Kisses! Now, I'm turning 41, still wearing all black.... ;)
β CuttySobzβ
Cringe.
Kimberly Vespa
@β CuttySobzβ did you just cringe from a 13 year old comment? Lol! Iβm 54 now.
Kimberly Vespa
Original comment is older than your YouTube channel. I like The Smiths and Jamesons Travels, too.
β CuttySobzβ
@Kimberly Vespa It could have been written in 1776 it would still be lame. Time has nothing to do with it.
β CuttySobzβ
The holocaust occurred in the 1930's/1940s and it was still a tragedy. Much like your comment.
Grace Mitchell
I recently discovered The Jesus and Mary Chain, and now I'm wondering how I went so long without this band in my life. The singer's voice is nothing short of spectacular, and I can't get enough of those guitars.
Sue G.
I saw them in 1985 in Boston. We waited for a long time in a dark room with no seats talking pretentiously with each other before they arrived about how short their sets tend to be. We wondered how short ours would be that night. They were very late and played a really loud, short set with their backs to us and it was everything we'd hoped it would be.
Segun Lee-French
Just after this single was released, I saw JAMC live at the Hacienda in Manchester. They played for 15 minutes of maelstrom and were gone in a puff of dry ice. The shortest gig I've ever seen. I think they probably only had 15 minutes of songs at that time. This song was magnificently ramshackle.