Spy
They Might Be Giants Lyrics


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I see you from my spy plane, baby
I see you walking on the ground
I see you through my spy glasses, baby
I can see right through the ground
If you want to be a spy
Then you must really see
And you must really see
If you want to be a spy like me

Come on

I might gaze on a submarine
I see your face smiling at me
Even when I close my eyes
Your silhouette is smiling at me
But you will never understand me
Because I have a special job
I wish I could break the spy glass
Set it free
So we could be

Spy spy spy spy
Spy spy spy spy
Spy spy spy spy
Spy spy spy spy






Spy

Overall Meaning

in, by They Might Be Giants, is a song that is about espionage and spying on people. The lyrics are straightforward and mean exactly what they say. The singer is a spy who is able to see everything and everyone. They see the person they're singing about, walking on the ground, and they can see right through the ground with their spy glasses. The song is a call to action for anyone who wants to be a spy. If you want to be a spy like the person singing, then you must be able to see and understand things that other people cannot.


The second verse of the song continues the spy theme. The singer talks about how they may be looking at a submarine, but they can still see the person they're singing about. The person's face is smiling at them, and even when they close their eyes, they can still see their silhouette. However, the person they're singing about will never understand them because they have a special job. They long to break their spy glass and be free so that they can be with the person they've been spying on.


Line by Line Meaning

I see you from my spy plane, baby
I am observing you from high above in my spy plane


I see you walking on the ground
I can see you walking around from my elevated viewpoint


I see you through my spy glasses, baby
I am using special glasses to see you more clearly


I can see right through the ground
My equipment is advanced enough to see through surfaces like the ground


If you want to be a spy
In order to become a spy


Then you must really see
You must be able to observe details effectively


And you must really see
You must be able to observe details effectively


If you want to be a spy like me
To become a spy, you must possess the same level of proficiency as I do


I might gaze on a submarine
I am capable of watching a submarine from a distance


I see your face smiling at me
Even at a distance, I can make out your facial expression and it appears that you are happy


Even when I close my eyes
Even when I am not actively looking, your image is still in my mind


Your silhouette is smiling at me
I recognize your shape and it seems as if you are still happy


But you will never understand me
You cannot comprehend my profession and what I do


Because I have a special job
My line of work is unique and exclusive


I wish I could break the spy glass
I have grown weary of my equipment and long for an escape


Set it free
I want to be liberated from the burden of being a spy


So we could be
So that we could be together and live a normal life without espionage


Spy spy spy spy
Repeated emphasis on being a spy, reflecting a possible negative view of the profession




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN FLANSBURGH, JOHN LINNELL, JOHN C. FLANSBURGH, JOHN S. LINNELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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