I Can't Stand It
The Velvet Underground Lyrics


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Before being a man
Livin' in a garbage pail
My landlady call me up
She tried to hit me with a mop

I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright

I live with thirteen dead cats
A purple who hear spats
They're all livin in a hall
And I can't stand it anymore

I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright

Before being a man
Livin' in a garbage pail
My landlady call me up
She tried to hit me with a mop

I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
But if Shelly she would just come back




It'll be allright
Be allright, be allright....

Overall Meaning

The Velvet Underground’s “I Can’t Stand It” is a song that encapsulates the themes of loneliness and desperation. It’s about a man living in a garbage pail, surrounded by thirteen dead cats and a purple dog that wears spats. He is constantly tormented by his landlady who is trying to hit him with a mop. He has become sick of his miserable existence and is desperate for a change. He is tired of living alone, and when things get difficult, he turns to music to cope.


As the song progresses, the singer emphasizes his desperation, pleading for his lover to return. He believes that if his lover were to come back, everything would be all right. However, this seems highly unlikely considering his current living conditions.
The lyrics in the song paint a vivid picture of a lonely and desperate man. The incessant repetition of the line “I can’t stand it anymore” underlines the singer’s desperation and frustration. The song reflects on the harsh reality of a struggling individual, through its powerful imagery and strikingly relatable lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

It's hard being a man
Being a man is difficult


Living in a garbage pail
Living conditions are terrible


My landlady called me up, oh
The landlady is upset with me


She tried to hit me with a mop
The landlady is physically aggressive


I can't stand it any more more
The artist is at his breaking point


But if baby would just come back, it'd be all right
The return of a loved one could solve all problems


I live with thirteen dead cats
The living situation is unsanitary and disturbing


A purple dog that wears spats
The artist is living with a bizarre animal


They're all living out in the hall
The living conditions are cramped


I'm tired of living all alone, yeah
The artist is lonely


Nobody ever calls me on the phone
The singer is isolated


But when things are getting better
There are times of hope


I just play my music louder
Music is a coping mechanism


I can't stand it, I can't stand it
The singer is overwhelmed and frustrated




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@VanderVousVdV

Before being a man
Livin' in a garbage pail
My landlady call me up
She tried to hit me with a mop

I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright

I live with thirteen dead cats
A purple who hear spats
They're all livin in a hall
And I can't stand it anymore

I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright

Before being a man
Livin' in a garbage pail
My landlady call me up
She tried to hit me with a mop

I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
I can't stand it anymore more
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
But if Shelly she would just come back
It'll be allright
Be allright, be allright....



@user-ip9yu7lp1q

It's hard being a man Livin' in a garbage pail
My landlady called me up
She tried to hit me with a mop

And I can't stand it anymore
But if Shelly would just come back, it'd be alright

I live with thirteen dead cats
A purple dog that wears spats
They're livin' out in a hall



All comments from YouTube:

@frankpeter6851

I like his singing here.
His voice and his delivery.
Seems like I've never heard it as well as I do on this song

@dannyhernandez265

Greatest band of all time for me.

@BrownistKidUKnow

This track is very dance-able

@ryanmcgrath7069

Yessir

@ElSantoLuchador

The tone of Sterling and Lou's guitar sound and the way they play against each other is unmatched in music history. I first heard Foggy Notion at high volume when I was high and nearly had an out of body experience.

@dannyhernandez265

I want to get high too, any ideas where to find some w**d? I would like some, but don’t know where to find any.

@Formypeople68

Such a good groove.

@reuireuiop0

Velvet Undergroove, we call it

@johnstirling6597

those drums, that bass , can see where much of 70s and 80s (serious) music evolved from.

@wbafc1231

Both versions of this song an excellant.

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