Sibling Rivalry
The Simpsons Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lisa & Our life is so confusing,
Bart: No reason and no rhyme.
We've got this funny feeling,
Getting old before our time.
Gimme what ya got,
Gimme what ya got,
I know what ya got,
Gimme what ya got.
Lisa: What kind of love brings such confusion?
Bart: Shuts out the sun and kills all glee.
Lisa & What are these blues we're here to tell you?
Bart: It's sibling rivalry.
I don't want to share,
want to make you nuts,
Gimme what ya got,
Gotta have it all.
Bart: Sometimes I see her doing homework,
Lisa: I'm working hard all by myself.
Bart: And who can stand a happy sister.
Lisa: He hates I don't require help.
Back: Ooh. Ooh. Ooh.
Bart: I put a spider on her shoulder.
(Back: Oh, ya, wooh.)
Lisa: I'm not aware that it is fake.
(Back: Ooh, ooh, ooh.)
Bart: I ask her what the heck that thing is.
(Back: Eeww!)
Lisa: I turn and start; I scream and shake.
(Back: Scream and shake!)
Bart: Whhhhhhhy does it feel so good?
My dear old fun?
I know it's wrong to feel so mean,
But, you shoulda heard her scream.
(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Bart: Ha ha ha haa. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Bart: Aah, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Bart: Ha, hahahaha. Ha haa.
(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Bart: Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha hahahaha.
Lisa: I am not blameless in this equation.
Bart: She likes to talk over my head.
Lisa: Poor Bart, his trials and tribulations.
Back: Poor Bart.
Bart: Before a test she makes me dread.
Back: Ooh, ooh, ooh.
Lisa: 'Cause I predict that he will fail.
Back: Gonna flunk, woo-ooh.
Bart: I chase her down when she is right.
Back: Ooh, ooh, ooh.
Lisa: When I refuse to just turn tail,
Back: Hold your ground Lisa.
L & B: We have our most outstanding fights!
Back: Outstanding fights!
Lisa: What kind of love brings such contusions?
Bart: All these band-aids the world can see.
Lisa & What is this shame we're here to tell you?
Bart: It's sibling rivalry.
Lisa & A brother and a sister,
Bart: We're trying not to boast.
But we can't help believing,
That we'll always be this close.
Back: Siblings find it oh so hard,
When it comes to giving,
Let them once try singing
Background for a living.
Lisa & A brother and a sister,




Bart: We will always be this close.
Bart: Let go my hand, Lisa.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Sibling Rivalry" by The Simpsons delve into the complicated relationship between siblings - something that many viewers of the show can relate to. The song begins with Lisa and Bart acknowledging the confusion and bitter feelings they have towards each other, despite not having any specific reasons for it. They trade jabs at each other, with Bart proclaiming that he wants everything Lisa has, and Lisa accusing him of not wanting to see her succeed. They both feel like they're getting older before their time, and can't seem to shake the negative feelings they have towards each other.


The lyrics also touch on some of the more petty aspects of sibling rivalry, with Bart putting a fake spider on Lisa's shoulder and Lisa predicting that Bart will fail a test. Despite all of this, both Lisa and Bart acknowledge the love that they have for each other, and that they're trying to work through their issues. They end the song by saying that they will always be close, and that their sibling bond will endure.


Line by Line Meaning

Lisa & Our life is so confusing,
Our lives as siblings are complicated and unclear.


Bart: No reason and no rhyme.
There's no logic or explanation for our sibling relationship.


We've got this funny feeling,
We experience strange emotions towards each other.


Getting old before our time.
Our sibling rivalry is causing us to mature and age faster.


Gimme what ya got,
I want what you have.


Gimme what ya got,
Give it to me now.


I know what ya got,
I'm aware of what you possess.


Gimme what ya got.
I'm insisting that you give me what's yours.


Lisa: What kind of love brings such confusion?
How can we love each other and also cause so much chaos?


Bart: Shuts out the sun and kills all glee.
Our rivalry creates darkness and eliminates any joy.


Lisa & What are these blues we're here to tell you?
We want to share the blues of our sibling rivalry.


Bart: It's sibling rivalry.
The source of our conflict is being siblings.


I don't want to share,
I refuse to divide or collaborate.


want to make you nuts,
I enjoy driving you crazy.


Gimme what ya got,
I'm demanding that you give me everything.


Gotta have it all.
I must own and control everything.


Bart: Sometimes I see her doing homework,
I observe her studying occasionally.


Lisa: I'm working hard all by myself.
I'm laboring independently and without help.


Bart: And who can stand a happy sister.
Her happiness irritates me.


Lisa: He hates I don't require help.
He resents that I don't need assistance.


Ooh. Ooh. Ooh.
Vocal accompaniment to the music.


Bart: I put a spider on her shoulder.
I placed an arachnid on her arm.


(Back: Oh, ya, wooh.)
Background vocals expressing excitement.


Lisa: I'm not aware that it is fake.
I think the spider is real, but I'm mistaken.


(Back: Ooh, ooh, ooh.)
Vocal accompaniment to the music.


Bart: I ask her what the heck that thing is.
I inquire about the spider on her arm.


(Back: Eeww!)
Background vocals reacting to the spider.


Lisa: I turn and start; I scream and shake.
I become terrified and scream while shaking.


(Back: Scream and shake!)
Background vocals mimicking the screaming and shaking.


Bart: Whhhhhhhy does it feel so good?
Why am I finding pleasure in her fear?


My dear old fun?
Is it because of our rivalry?


I know it's wrong to feel so mean,
I acknowledge the inappropriateness of my behavior.


But, you shoulda heard her scream.
However, her screaming was gratifying.


(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Background vocals expressing amusement.


Bart: Ha ha ha haa. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I'm laughing at her distress.


(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Background vocals expressing amusement.


Bart: Aah, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I'm laughing even harder now.


(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Background vocals expressing amusement.


Bart: Ha, hahahaha. Ha haa.
I can't stop laughing at her fear.


(Back: Ooh ooh, ooh)
Background vocals expressing amusement.


Bart: Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha hahahaha.
I find her fear to be hilarious.


Lisa: I am not blameless in this equation.
I also contribute to the problems between us.


Bart: She likes to talk over my head.
She talks about things I don't understand or cannot relate to.


Lisa: Poor Bart, his trials and tribulations.
I feel sorry for him and his difficulties.


(Back: Poor Bart.)
Background vocals expressing sympathy.


Bart: Before a test she makes me dread.
I become anxious and worried about tests because of her.


(Back: Gonna flunk, woo-ooh.)
Background vocals suggesting that Bart will fail.


I chase her down when she is right.
I follow her when she knows what she's doing.


(Back: Ooh, ooh, ooh.)
Background vocals intensifying the action.


Lisa: When I refuse to just turn tail,
When I won't back down or surrender.


(Back: Hold your ground Lisa.)
Background vocals encouraging Lisa to stand up for herself.


L & B: We have our most outstanding fights!
We fight each other intensely and fiercely.


(Back: Outstanding fights!)
Background vocals emphasizing the fighting.


Lisa: What kind of love brings such contusions?
How can we love each other when it leads to bruises and injuries?


Bart: All these band-aids the world can see.
Our physical wounds are visible to others.


Lisa & What is this shame we're here to tell you?
We want to share the shame of our sibling rivalry.


Bart: It's sibling rivalry.
The root cause of our conflict is being siblings.


Lisa & A brother and a sister,
We're related by being siblings.


Bart: We're trying not to boast.
We're attempting to be modest.


But we can't help believing,
However, we still have faith in each other.


That we'll always be this close.
We'll always be connected as siblings.


(Back: Siblings find it oh so hard,
Background vocals introducing the next line.


When it comes to giving,
When we have to share or be charitable.


Let them once try singing
We challenge others to sing instead of dealing with sibling rivalry.


Background for a living.
As their profession, they will understand how hard siblings have it.


Lisa & A brother and a sister,
Our sibling relationship remains the same regardless of our rivalry.


Bart: We will always be this close.
We'll always have each other as siblings, despite our issues.


Bart: Let go my hand, Lisa.
Bart has had enough and wants to end the conversation or sibling interaction.




Lyrics © FOX MUSIC, INC., Universal Music Publishing Group, DOBBS MUSIC, GREAT EASTERN MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAI L. WINDING, JAMES L. BROOKS, JOHN PATRICK BOYLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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