Cheap And Cheerful
The Kills渀 Lyrics

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I'm bored of cheap and cheerful
I want expensive sadness
Hospital bills, parole
Open doors to madness

I want you to be crazy cause you're
Boring baby when you're straight
I want you to be crazy cause you're

Stupid baby when you're sane

I'm sick of social graces
Show your sharp tip teeth
Loose your cool in public
Dig the legal meet
'Cause love is just a dialogue
You can't survive on ice cream
You got the same needs as a dog

It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be mean)
It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be mean)

I want you to be crazy cause you're
Boring baby when you're straight
I want you to be crazy cause you're
Stupid baby when you're sane

It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be mean)
It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be mean)
It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be mean)
It's alright (it's alright)
To be mean (to be mean)

[Repeat: 2X]
I want you to be crazy cause you're
Boring baby when you're straight

I want you to be crazy cause you're
Stupid baby when you're sane

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Cheap and Cheerful" by The Kills convey a dissatisfaction with the mundane and an attraction to the dangerous and unpredictable. The singer is bored with the predictable and safe, longing instead for the excitement and recklessness of expensive sadness, hospital bills, parole, and madness. They desire their partner to let loose and be crazy, as they find them dull and uninteresting when they are behaving conventionally. The song suggests that there is a vitality and authenticity to living life on the edge, and that living too much within the norms of society can be a kind of death in itself.

The refrain of "It's alright to be mean" reinforces this idea, suggesting that it's better to live a rough and tumble life than to play it too safe. The song also critiques the idea of love as a social construct, presenting it instead as a kind of power struggle or negotiation between individuals. The line "love is just a dialogue" implies that love is not a pure or altruistic emotion, but rather something that must be communicated and worked at.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm bored of cheap and cheerful
I'm tired of settling for things that are easy and basic.

I want expensive sadness
I want to experience the intense and complex emotions that come with a deeper and more fulfilling relationship.

Hospital bills, parole
I'm willing to take risks and face consequences in order to live life to the fullest.

Open doors to madness
I'm drawn to the excitement and unpredictability of life's chaotic moments.

I want you to be crazy cause you're Boring baby when you're straight
I want my partner to embrace their wild side because they're uninteresting to me when they're too well-behaved.

I want you to be crazy cause you're Stupid baby when you're sane
I find my partner dull and unintelligent when they're too rational and sensible.

I'm sick of social graces
I'm tired of societal norms and expectations that prevent people from being their authentic selves.

Show your sharp tip teeth
Reveal your true nature, even if it's aggressive or confrontational.

Loose your cool in public
Express yourself freely, even if it means breaking social conventions or upsetting others.

Dig the legal meet
Take risks and challenge authority, even if it means facing legal consequences.

'Cause love is just a dialogue You can't survive on ice cream You got the same needs as a dog
Love requires honest communication and an acknowledgement of basic human desires, rather than just superficial gestures or treating love like a reward system.

It's alright (it's alright) To be mean (to be mean)
It's okay to push boundaries and not always conform to societal norms in order to truly be yourself.

I want you to be crazy cause you're Boring baby when you're straight
I want my partner to embrace their wild side because they're uninteresting to me when they're too well-behaved.

I want you to be crazy cause you're Stupid baby when you're sane
I find my partner dull and unintelligent when they're too rational and sensible.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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