They All Laughed
The Spinto Band Lyrics


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All success is fleeting I said to her
Is that you've been reading she snapped and turned
To someone else and said
Wait why is it that he was invited
That was fun

And if you get this letter and I hope you do
Please don't get upset or misconstrue
My writing as it's not as favorable as the applause
You got today

Why don't you say what you are really
Intending to gain by wearing on me

I still can't you thought us to be
More ET than Steven, Nancy, and Lee
When we did they all laughed
It was never more than an act but
I had fun

Why don't you say what you are really
Intending to gain by falling for me
If it's true say that you'll be willing
To believe when I feign my
Questioning stare and instinct to care when
You clean the air again

It's not like I had alluded
Maybe if you didn't
Give anything away
Given your lack of grace

Why don't you say what you are really
Intending to gain by falling for me
If it's true say that you'll be willing
To believe when I feign my




Questioning stare and instinct to care when
You clean the air again

Overall Meaning

"They All Laughed" by The Spinto Band seems to tell the story of someone who is questioning the intentions of a person they are romantically involved with. The first verse speaks to the fleeting nature of success and how it appears that the person in question has been reading something related to the topic. The singer is then dismissed by their partner, who turns their attention to someone else. The chorus appears to be a letter, cautioning the recipient to not let the praise they received go to their head.


The second verse introduces a new idea, with the singer questioning their partner's intentions. They don't believe that the person is being truthful about their feelings and wants them to be honest with what they want to gain by being in a relationship with them. The singer then reminisces about a time they had together, stating that it was nothing more than an act. Finally, they ask their partner to be honest about their feelings and to believe them when they try to show affection.


This song is likely about the struggles of a relationship, with one partner not believing the other's intentions. It speaks to the notion that people often wear a mask around the ones they love and that honesty is critical to a healthy relationship. Overall, this song seems to be a warning of sorts, to both parties, that love can be fleeting, and that one must be honest and open to make it work.


Line by Line Meaning

All success is fleeting I said to her
I expressed to her that success is only temporary


Is that you've been reading she snapped and turned
She responded in a defensive manner wondering if I had influenced her reading material


To someone else and said
She redirected her attention to another person


Wait why is it that he was invited
She questioned the reason for someone's invitation


That was fun
She acknowledged enjoying something


And if you get this letter and I hope you do
I expressed my desire for the recipient to receive my message


Please don't get upset or misconstrue
I requested that the recipient not become angry or misunderstand my words


My writing as it's not as favorable as the applause
I warned that my words may not be as complimentary as the audience's response


You got today
I referred to the recipient's recent positive reception


Why don't you say what you are really
I asked for genuine intentions to be revealed


Intending to gain by wearing on me
I wondered about the purpose behind trying to annoy or bother me


I still can't you thought us to be
I still can't believe you imagined us as something unrealistic


More ET than Steven, Nancy, and Lee
I compared the imagined relationship to the fictional characters in the movie E.T.


When we did they all laughed
When we performed, everyone in the audience laughed


It was never more than an act but
Our performance was only a show


I had fun
I enjoyed the performance


Intending to gain by falling for me
I questioned whether there was an ulterior motive behind developing feelings for me


If it's true say that you'll be willing
If there is sincerity, I requested an openness to believe in my actions


To believe when I feign my
To trust even when I pretend to


Questioning stare and instinct to care when
Doubting gaze and reflexive concern arise when


You clean the air again
A situation resolves after conflict or misunderstanding


It's not like I had alluded
I did not suggest or hint at something


Maybe if you didn't
Perhaps things would be different if


Give anything away
You kept your secrets to yourself


Given your lack of grace
Considering your clumsiness or tactlessness




Contributed by Annabelle V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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