Unrelated Thing
They Might Be Giants Lyrics


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Do you smile 'cause I'm funny? said the man
I wasn't joking and I meant the thing I said
Not at all, not at all
Said the woman to the man
I was thinking of an unrelated thing

Unconnected and free
No relationship to anything

How come you never look me in the eye?
Aren't you listening to me said the man
Not at all, not at all
Said the woman to the man
I'm still thinking of an unrelated thing

Somewhere other than here
Something else besides the man

Please explain the expression on your face
Then I'll know what's beneath it said the man
No you won't, no you won't
Said the woman to the man





I'll be thinking of an unrelated thing
I'll be thinking of an unrelated thing

Overall Meaning

The song "Unrelated Thing" by They Might Be Giants is a conversation between a man and a woman in which the woman seems to be preoccupied with something that is completely unrelated to what the man is saying. The man is trying to engage her in conversation, but her mind is elsewhere. She is lost in her thoughts, and nothing he says seems to be able to bring her attention back to the present moment. The refrain "Unconnected and free, no relationship to anything" emphasizes the idea of being mentally disconnected and free from the realities of the present moment.


The lyrics can be interpreted in a number of ways, but one possible interpretation is that the woman is experiencing some sort of emotional detachment or disconnection from the man. She may be feeling overwhelmed by her own thoughts, and unable to fully engage with the man. The song suggests that sometimes we can't control where our thoughts take us, and that we may need to disconnect in order to sort them out.


Overall, the song conveys a sense of emotional disconnection and detachment. The woman is lost in her own thoughts, and the man is left feeling frustrated and ignored. It's a poignant reminder that sometimes, we all need to disconnect in order to focus on what's really important.


Line by Line Meaning

Do you smile 'cause I'm funny? said the man
The man asked if the woman was smiling because she found him funny.


I wasn't joking and I meant the thing I said
The man was serious and meant what he said.


Not at all, not at all
The woman denied that she was smiling because the man was funny.


Said the woman to the man
The woman addressed the man directly.


I was thinking of an unrelated thing
The woman's smile had nothing to do with the man. She was thinking about something else entirely.


Unconnected and free
The woman's thoughts were completely unrelated and unrestricted.


No relationship to anything
The woman's thoughts had no connection to anything else in the moment.


How come you never look me in the eye?
The man questioned why the woman never made eye contact with him.


Aren't you listening to me said the man
The man asked if the woman was paying attention to him.


I'm still thinking of an unrelated thing
The woman still had something else on her mind and was not focused on the man.


Somewhere other than here
The woman's thoughts were elsewhere and not in the present moment.


Something else besides the man
The woman's thoughts were focused on something else, rather than the man in front of her.


Please explain the expression on your face
The man asked the woman to explain the look on her face.


Then I'll know what's beneath it said the man
The man hoped that an explanation would help him understand what the woman was thinking and feeling.


No you won't, no you won't
The woman did not believe that the man would understand, even with an explanation.


I'll be thinking of an unrelated thing
The woman knew that her thoughts were still focused on something else, rather than the man, and his questions were unlikely to change that.




Lyrics © 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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