Substitute
The Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You think my shoes are made of leather
But I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah
(Substitute) I can see right through your plastic mac
(Substitute) I look all white, but my dad was black
(Substitute) my fine linen suit is really made out of sack
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
It's a genuine problem, you won't try
To work it out at all you just pass it by, pass it by
(Substitute) me for him
(Substitute) my coke for gin
(Substitute) you for my mum
(Substitute) at least I'll get my washing done
I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
It's a genuine problem, you won't try
To work it out at all you just pass it by, pass it by
(Substitute) me for him
(Substitute) my coke for gin
(Substitute) you for my mum
(Substitute) at least I'll get my washing done
(Substitute) your lies for fact
(Substitute) I can see right through your plastic mac
(Substitute) I look all white, but my dad was black
(Substitute) My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack
The lyrics to The Who's song Substitute are about a man who is pretending to be someone else in order to impress a woman. The woman thinks that they look good together and admires his fashion sense, but the man admits that he is actually a substitute for another guy. He appears tall because of his high heels, and he looks young but is actually outdated. The man is aware of the woman's lies and sees through her façade. He also admits to his own deception, as he was born into a privileged life but is trying to pretend he is someone he is not. The song ends with the man trying to find a substitute for everyone in his life, including his mother and his vices.
The lyrics are meant to be a commentary on the superficiality of society and the lengths people will go to fit in or impress others. The man in the song is not happy with himself and is constantly searching for someone else to be. The plastic spoon in his mouth and the conflicting directions of his town represent the confusion and lack of identity the man feels. The crocodile tears symbolize the insincerity of the woman and the problems that arise from not being true to oneself. Ultimately, the song is about the search for authenticity in a world of fakes.
Line by Line Meaning
You think we look pretty good together
You believe that we make a great couple
You think my shoes are made of leather
You believe that my shoes are made of high-quality leather material
But I'm a substitute for another guy
However, I am a replacement for someone else in your life
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
I appear tall due to my high heels
The simple things you see are all complicated
The things that you perceive to be simple are actually quite complex
I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah
While I may appear young, I am actually outdated or past my prime
(Substitute) your lies for fact
Replace your lies with the truth
(Substitute) I can see right through your plastic mac
I can easily see through your fake persona
(Substitute) I look all white, but my dad was black
Although I may appear to be a certain way, my true identity may be different, just like my father's race
(Substitute) my fine linen suit is really made out of sack
My suit may look expensive, but it is actually cheap material
I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
I was born into a life of limited means
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
I come from a place where things were not as they seemed and everything was constantly changing
And now you dare to look me in the eye
You have the audacity to meet my gaze
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
You cry fake tears to manipulate me
It's a genuine problem, you won't try
Our issues are real, but you refuse to work on them
To work it out at all you just pass it by, pass it by
You don't try to resolve our problems, you simply ignore them
(Substitute) me for him
Replace me with someone else
(Substitute) my coke for gin
Replace my drink with something stronger
(Substitute) you for my mum
Replace you with someone who will take care of me
(Substitute) at least I'll get my washing done
At least I will have my basic needs met
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter Townshend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@treesurgeon8558
Who's watching this in 2024?
@Amaterasu_990
MEEeee 🙂
@joergpiepkorn5959
1000% better music as todays bullshit
@basura8355
No one can Substitute The Who
@mc_little_boy9113
The rams did
@googlepluzplus8049
I'm going to do it in some months.
@keitak439
goood
No one can be substitute for The Who!!
@jeffdowler9130
No one rights like that.
@godfreypoon5148
Peter Noone cannot be a substitute player in The Who.
@MultiPetercool
“I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth.”
Most awesome lyric ever written.