My Brain Is Like A Sieve
Thomas Dolby Lyrics


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My brain is like a sieve


All the bad things you did to me,
Sometimes it's easier to forget

you did to me.
My brain is like sieve


But it knows when it's being messed with

if you wanted you could come in,

so come in.




When you said you loved me

when you told me you cared
That you would be a part of me,

that you would always be there

did you really mean to hurt me?


No, I think you only meant to tease.
But it's hard to remember,

I lost my memory. See,



my brain is like a sieve

sometimes it's easier to forget


All the bad things you did to me,
You did to me.

my brain is like sieve

but it knows when it's being messed with


If you wanted you could come in,
So come in.



You ought to be ashamed of your behaviour

when you're treating me this way

as if I had deserved to be a place to vent your ire

some day I'm gonna douse that bonfire
We make a crucial team for a dying world



and style is a word I never even heard

in your vocabulary, victim of a murder mystery

...murder!


My brain is like a sieve

all the bad things you did to me,
Sometimes it's easier to forget


You did to me.

my brain is like sieve

but it's a place where we both could live

if you wanted you could come in,





so come in.

Overall Meaning

In Thomas Dolby's song "My Brain Is Like A Sieve," the lyrics describe the singer's brain as a sieve, meaning that it lets some things through but not others. The first verse alludes to the bad treatment the singer has received, with some things that are hard to forget. They wonder if the person meant to hurt them or just tease but lost their memory anyway. However, they leave the door open to come and mend things. In the second verse, the singer confronts the person treating them badly, making them feel ashamed of their behavior. They then argue that they make a "crucial team for a dying world" despite their differences and paints themselves as the victim of a murder mystery.


The chorus remains constant, with the singer characterizing their brain as neither forgetful nor hostile but as something that could be home to the person on the receiving end of their words. The song has an alluring, haunting melody that captures the feeling of trying to reconcile with someone who has wronged you but still feels like home. The song explores the complexities of human relationships and how memories can both help us understand what happened and leave us with regrets.


Line by Line Meaning

My brain is like a sieve
My memory is very poor and I find it difficult to remember things accurately.


All the bad things you did to me,
All the negative experiences that I had with you in the past.


Sometimes it's easier to forget
At times, it's better to not think about the negative things that happened in the past and instead move on.


But it knows when it's being messed with
Despite my poor memory, I can sense when someone is trying to deceive me or manipulate me.


If you wanted you could come in,
If you wanted to, you could have a place in my life.


So come in.
I am open to allowing you into my life if you are willing to be sincere and kind.


When you said you loved me
When you expressed feelings of love towards me.


when you told me you cared
When you let me know that you cared about me as a person.


That you would be a part of me,
That you wanted to be an integral part of my life.


that you would always be there
That you would always be present for me whenever I needed you.


did you really mean to hurt me?
Did you intentionally cause me pain and suffering?


No, I think you only meant to tease.
I believe that you were only trying to joke around and not intentionally harm me.


But it's hard to remember,
Despite this, it's still hard for me to forget the past hurts.


I lost my memory. See,
My memory is so poor that I can't recall many things clearly.


You ought to be ashamed of your behaviour
You should feel embarrassed about how you treated me in the past.


when you're treating me this way
When you're acting cold and distant towards me.


as if I had deserved to be a place to vent your ire
As if I deserved to be a punching bag for your anger and frustration.


some day I'm gonna douse that bonfire
One day, I'll put an end to this cycle of negativity and hurt between us.


We make a crucial team for a dying world
Despite our differences, we could work together to make a positive impact in a world that desperately needs it.


and style is a word I never even heard
I lack sophistication and refinement in my mannerisms and behavior.


in your vocabulary, victim of a murder mystery
You are not familiar with the finer things in life, instead, being a victim of some unsolved mystery in your life.


...murder!
This mystery that surrounds you is so extreme that it is like murder.


but it's a place where we both could live
Despite everything, my memory is still a place where we could coexist and create good memories together.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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