The Turtles were an American pop/rock band led by vocalists Howard Kaylan a… Read Full Bio ↴The Turtles were an American pop/rock band led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, a duo later known as Flo & Eddie. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits in the 60s, beginning with their version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965. The band scored their biggest and best-known hit in 1967 with the song "Happy Together". Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965, the band was renowned for their both joyously melancholic and occasionally cheeky sound, always being good-natured.

Originated from a surf rock group called the Crossfires, the Turtles delved into many genres such as breezy pop, psychedelic music, and folk rock. A precursor to the bubblegum pop of the late 60s and early 70s as well as a foil to the more self-consciously hip and "serious" acts of the era, the Turtles produced at least a dozen memorable, radio-friendly chart singles. Yet they remain best known for 1967's "Happy Together", which was their only chart-topping single.

The Turtles wound down their career in 1970.

The two prominent singers - Howard Kaylan ("Eddie") and Mark Volman ("Flo" a.k.a. "Phlorescent Leech") - collaborated with Frank Zappa for a short but very intensive period of one and a half years (between 1970-72) and were the cornerstone of what was known to be the Zappa "Vaudeville" band; two of the most famous achievements of that period being the albums Fillmore East – June 1971 and 200 Motels, the soundtrack of the film by the same name.

Get Away
The Turtles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You tell me you've had it hard
Keep talkin' about how you've been scarred
Well, it's all a bunch of lies, girl
Told to me by your inverted eyes

Well, I've heard your tired song
And know that you have not suffered long
Well, you think that I'm like him, girl

And you're sure that you can never win
So leave me alone right now
Even though you know I'm down
Get away, get away
We said enough for today

And words cannot pay
I think we said all we can say
And though you've done me wrong, girl
I'll chalk it up to love, and say so long
So leave me alone right now
Even though you know I'm down
Get away, get away
We said enough for today
Get away, get away
We said enough for today

Oh, get away, get away
We said enough for today
We said enough
Oh, get away
Oh, we said enough
Please, get away
Oh, get away
We said enough
Oh, get away

We said enough
Please, get away

Overall Meaning

The Turtles' song "Get Away" is giving a message to a woman who's blaming her painful past for her present struggles and using it as an excuse for her behavior toward others. The singer of the song is calling her out on her lies, telling her that she hasn't really suffered as much as she claims to have. He believes that she's projecting her past frustration and anger onto him, accusing him of being like the other men in her life who have wronged her. The singer is expressing his exhaustion with her behavior and is asking her to leave him alone for the time being.

The line “And though you’ve done me wrong, girl, I’ll chalk it up to love, and say so long” suggest that the singer still cares about this woman, but he's not willing to put up with her negative behavior anymore. He recognizes that she's struggling with her own emotional pain, but he's not going to let it affect him anymore. The singer is choosing to let go of the relationship and move on, as they have said enough for the day.

Line by Line Meaning

You tell me you've had it hard
You're trying to make me feel sorry for you by exaggerating the difficulties you've faced

Keep talkin' about how you've been scarred
You keep repeating the same story of how you've been hurt in the past

Well, it's all a bunch of lies, girl
But I can see that you're lying and it's not true

Told to me by your inverted eyes
Your eyes are giving you away and show that you're being insincere

Well, I've heard your tired song
I'm tired of listening to the same story over and over again

And know that you have not suffered long
I realize that your problems are not as severe as you make them out to be

Well, you think that I'm like him, girl
You're projecting your negative experiences with someone else onto me

And you're sure that you can never win
You believe that you're destined to fail and can never succeed

So leave me alone right now
I need some space from you right now

Even though you know I'm down
Even though I'm feeling low and vulnerable

Get away, get away
Please leave me alone