Formed in 1985, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones started playing in Boston clubs in the mid-1980s. After a brief period of inactivity due to the schooling commitments of its members, they reformed and released their album Devil's Night Out on Taang! Records. The Bosstones toured relentlessly throughout the 1990s, playing hundreds of shows a year, releasing albums and spinning off the popular rock radio hit "Someday I Suppose". They were eventually signed to Mercury Records. The band appeared in the movie Clueless. In 1997, the success of their single "The Impression That I Get" and its follow up, "The Rascal King" earned them mainstream recognition. In 2000 they put out their critically acclaimed disk Pay Attention. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released their last album on Side One Dummy Records. They officially went on hiatus in 2003, citing too much time on the road and desire to branch out and do different things. In 2007, the Bosstones announced that they were reforming. They played their 10th Hometown Throwdown in Boston and released a new album, Medium Rare, which consists of rare B-sides, and 3 new songs, including the single, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker".
The band announced their split in early 2022.
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All about your disease
You may have all that you want to honey
But I got somethin' you need Oh yeah,
I ain't talkin' 'bout love
My love is rotten to the core
I ain't talkin' 'bout love
Just like I told you before,
You know you're semi-good lookin',
And on the streets again
And you think you're really cookin' mama,
You better find yourself a friend, a friend,
'Cause I ain't talkin' 'bout love
My love is rotten to the core
I ain't talkin' 'bout love
Just like I told you before, Jello
And I ain't talkin' 'bout love
My love is rotten to the core
I ain't talkin' 'bout love
Just like I told you before yeah before
You know I've been to the edge,
And I stood and looked down
I lost a lot of friends there baby,
I got no time to mess around
So if you want it got to bleed for me baby
You got to got to bleed for me baby
Got to got to got to bleed for me baby and
I won't dance in a club like this
'Cause all the girls are sluts
And the beer tastes just like piss
Ain't talkin' 'bout love
My love is rotten to the core
I ain't talkin' 'bout love
Just like I told you before
Hey hey hey hey [Repeat x 4]
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones's song Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love is a cover of Van Halen's song with the same title. The song is a clear rejection of love and a warning to the subject of the song about the singer's true intentions. The first two lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics as the singer states, "Oh yeah I heard the news baby, All about your disease." The line seems to be a metaphor for the subject's supposed addiction to love or perhaps their promiscuity. The singer then follows up with, "You may have all that you want to honey, But I got somethin' you need." This line is an indication that the singer is aware of the subject's pursuit of love, but that they are not interested in it. Instead, they offer something that they deem the subject needs, perhaps an alternative, less toxic form of love.
The chorus of the song further emphasizes the singer's rejection of the subject's love as they repeat, "I ain't talkin' 'bout love, My love is rotten to the core, Just like I told you before." This line is an affirmation that the singer has no interest in the subject's advances or perhaps love altogether. The rest of the lyrics continue to paint the picture of the singer's disdain for love and their unwillingness to engage with it. The lines "You know I've been to the edge, And I stood and looked down, I lost a lot of friends there baby, I got no time to mess around" suggest that the singer has had negative experiences with love before and is now unwilling to risk being hurt again.
Overall, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love is a clear rejection of love and serves as a warning to the subject of the song that the singer is not interested in pursuing it.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah I heard the news baby,
I am aware of what you've been up to.
All about your disease
I know about the troubled state you are in.
You may have all that you want to honey
You might think you have everything you need.
But I got somethin' you need Oh yeah,
However, I know you require something vital.
I ain't talkin' 'bout love
But it's not love that I am talking about.
My love is rotten to the core
What I feel is not love; it is decayed and corrupt.
Just like I told you before,
I've already mentioned this to you earlier.
You know you're semi-good lookin',
You might have some decent looks.
And on the streets again
But you're back to your old habits.
And you think you're really cookin' mama,
You falsely believe that you're doing well.
You better find yourself a friend, a friend,
It would be wise to seek companionship.
'Cause I ain't talkin' 'bout love
Because I'm not referring to love.
And I ain't talkin' 'bout love
Again, let me reiterate that it's not love.
You know I've been to the edge,
I have come close to the brink.
And I stood and looked down
I faced the darkness below.
I lost a lot of friends there baby,
It's not been an easy journey, and I've lost many friends along the way.
I got no time to mess around
I can't afford to fool around anymore.
So if you want it got to bleed for me baby
If you desire what I have to offer, you must make sacrifices.
Got to got to bleed for me baby and
Yes, you really need to show that you're serious about this.
I won't dance in a club like this
I refuse to participate in this type of environment.
'Cause all the girls are sluts
Because I disapprove of the behavior of the women here.
And the beer tastes just like piss
The beer served here is awful and unpleasant.
Hey hey hey hey [Repeat x 4]
Repeating this phrase as a refrain to emphasize the overall message of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEX VAN HALEN, EDWARD VAN HALEN, DAVID ROTH, MICHAEL ANTHONY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind