Take Her Back
The Pigeon Detectives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's seventeen, he's twenty-two
Is that too much of a difference?
So instead look what he's done
He's found a girl who's thirty-one
Is that too much of a difference?
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got a mate who says behave
You're not too bad but twice her age
Does that really make any difference?
He's had a few, we've all been there
Just seventeen but he don't care
I don't think he knows the difference
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
His mates found out, he feels a fool
They saw her on the bus to school
Should that really make any difference?
What would her dad say if he knew
She's on her knees, he's twenty-two
I don't think he'd like the difference
Does that really make any difference?
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
The Pigeon Detectives' song "Take Her Back" tells the story of a man who is unsure about his attraction to a younger woman. The first verse sets up the dilemma, where he questions if the five-year age gap between him and the 17-year-old girl is too much. In the next verse, he decides to pursue a 31-year-old woman instead, but the question remains if the age gap difference is still too great.
The chorus repeats the refrain that the older woman has "everything he wants" and "everything he needs," urging him to "take her back to her place." However, the second verse reveals that the man's friends know about his attraction to the younger girl and are judging him. The bridge raises the question of what the younger girl's father would think if he discovered that a 22-year-old man is involved with his 17-year-old daughter.
Overall, the song critiques the societal taboo surrounding age gaps in romantic relationships and asks the listener to consider whether age really does matter when it comes to love.
Line by Line Meaning
He's not sure what he should do
He's unsure what the correct decision is
She's seventeen, he's twenty-two
There's a five-year age difference
Is that too much of a difference?
He's questioning whether the age difference is significant
So instead look what he's done
He's found an alternative solution
He's found a girl who's thirty-one
He's now seeing someone much older
Is that too much of a difference?
He's still questioning whether there is a significant age difference
She's got everything he wants
She possesses all of his desired qualities
She's got everything he needs
She possesses everything he requires in a partner
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
Repeating his desire to be with her
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
Repeating his desire to go home with her
She's got a mate who says behave
She has a friend who warns her to be cautious
You're not too bad but twice her age
He's not a terrible person, but the age gap is significant
Does that really make any difference?
He's wondering if the age difference truly matters
He's had a few, we've all been there
He's had too much to drink like everyone has
Just seventeen but he don't care
He does not mind that she is younger than him
I don't think he knows the difference
He is oblivious to the significance of their age difference
His mates found out, he feels a fool
His friends discovered his behavior and he feels embarrassed
They saw her on the bus to school
They saw her using public transportation to go to school
Should that really make any difference?
He's questioning whether her actions are significant
What would her dad say if he knew
He's considering how her father would react to their relationship
She's on her knees, he's twenty-two
They are engaging in intimate activities
I don't think he'd like the difference
He believes her father would not accept the age gap
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She satisfies all of his desires
'Cause she's got everything he needs
She fulfills all of his requirements in a partner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JAMES BEST, JAMES DAVID NAYLOR, MATTHEW PETER GEORGE BOWMAN, OLIVER ROBERT MAIN, RYAN ANDREW WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bubs
He's not sure what he should do
She's 17, he's 22
Is that too much of a difference?
So instead look what he's done
He's found a girl who's 31
Is that too much of a difference?
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, etc, etc, to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, etc, etc, to her place)
She's got a mate who says behave
You're not too bad but twice her age
Does that really make any difference?
He's had a few, we've all been there
Just 17 but he don't care
I don't think he knows the difference
'Cos she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back)
His mates found out, he feels a fool
They saw her on the bus to school
Should that really make any difference?
What would her dad say if he knew
She's on her knees, he's 22
I don't think he'd like the difference
Does that really make any difference?
'Cos she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back)
None Ofthet
He's not sure what he should do
She's seventeen, he's twenty-two
Is that too much of a difference?
So instead look what he's done
He's found a girl who's thirty-one
Is that too much of a difference?
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got a mate who says behave
You're not too bad but twice her age
Does that really make any difference?
He's had a few, we've all been there
Just seventeen but he don't care
I don't think he knows the difference
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
His mates found out, he feels a fool
They saw her on the bus to school
Should that really make any difference?
What would her dad say if he knew
She's on her knees, he's twenty-two
I don't think he'd like the difference
Does that really make any difference?
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
'Cause she's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
She's got everything he wants
She's got everything he needs
(Take her back, take her back, take her back)
(Take her back, take her back, take her back to her place)
Samuel Powell
I miss these indie days, felt like a band who wrote and performed their own songs could change the world and influence a generation, my music producer friend and I used to jam to The Pigeon Detectives all the time, I wanna throw him some love as we've been through so much together over the years, try searching Lonely Gimmick - Beaches, its got that old school indie sound and its one of those songs that makes me happy when I listen to it. I'm honestly so impressed he made it, did it all himself on his laptop
Megan Blyth
OMG, this song's AMAZING. Officially in love with this band.
StuTube
12 years later 😎x
leon
@StuTube 13 yrs later me !
Duck Duck Goose
14 years later this song definitely has problematic lyrics that haven't aged well.
C D
Still love this band. One highlight in my life is listening to them play live in a conference room at the Radisson Blu hotel in Jersey Channel Islands a few years back. A privilege to have been there 😍❤
were doomed
^^^ a hidden gem song u should check out is called+ - Time By The Impures *
Eddy Sandland
2 Year's to late! But that must've been Amazing! Are You from Jersey? Cheers 🍻
Jessa
Heard this song in a pub last night. Proper blast from the past. Love it!!
Ben Griffiths
If the past was last night...