Demise
Tricky & Martina Topley-Bird Lyrics
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I was the same back when
Then and now, I want to change
But don't know how
Do's and don'ts, don'ts I don't like
She's not Tina and I'm not like Ike
But what was Ike like
Is Ike what you write
We'll disarm ya, ask Julian Palmer
Only joking, too much smoking
But It's OK, it's OK
We've been through too much yesterday
Tell you what we'e gonna do
They'll protect me from me, I'll protect from you
By any means by any means
Please won't you try
Stop me talking like a tough guy
Subject matter's love
Subject matter's love
What would I need another enemy
I know I love you I can feel you in my energy
I'm too scared to be a gun totting gangster want to-be
I've got too much love inside of me
Met you on Mandalay
Or next week
If I'm Tina I guess I'm weak
Big take making my head ache
It's not your fault
You don't understand
Take our hand
We give so don't be negative
You don't feel the 'cause you feel yourself
Stuck up in your own head
Leave that till I'm dead
What do I think
I think instinct.
The lyrics to Tricky & Martina Topley-Bird's song "Demise" speak to the struggles and contradictions of the human experience. The first line, "So you like to demise with your pen," suggests that the listener is someone who finds comfort in writing about the darker aspects of life. Tricky reflects that he used to be the same way, but now he wants to change, even though he doesn't know how. This reflects how personal growth and change can be difficult, even when we recognize that it's necessary.
The lyrics also touch on themes of love and identity. Tricky references Tina and Ike, alluding to the abusive relationship between Tina Turner and her ex-husband Ike Turner. He wonders if this is what the listener writes about, but ultimately acknowledges that he doesn't know for sure. The lines "Subject matter's love / What would I need another enemy" suggest that despite the challenges and conflicts that come with love, it's still more worthwhile than making enemies.
The final lines of the song are particularly poignant: "What do I think / I think instinct." Tricky suggests that sometimes our intuition is more important than what we think or what we know intellectually. Overall, "Demise" is a complex and thought-provoking song that explores the nuances of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
So you like to demise with your pen
You enjoy destroying people with your words
I was the same back when
I used to do the same thing too
Then and now, I want to change
I've always wanted to change
But don't know how
But I don't know how to do it
Do's and don'ts, don'ts I don't like
I don't like being told what to do and what not to do
She's not Tina and I'm not like Ike
Our relationship isn't like Tina Turner and Ike Turner's
But what was Ike like
But I don't know what Ike was really like
Is Ike what you write
Is that what you're writing about?
I don't know, I don't know
I really don't know
We'll disarm ya, ask Julian Palmer
We'll make you drop your guard and ask Julian Palmer
Only joking, too much smoking
Just kidding, we've smoked too much
But It's OK, it's OK
But it's okay, we'll be okay
We've been through too much yesterday
We've been through a lot of difficult things in the past
Tell you what we're gonna do
Let me tell you what we're going to do
They'll protect me from me, I'll protect from you
They'll protect me from myself and I'll protect myself from you
By any means by any means
At any cost, at any cost
Please won't you try
Please try to understand
Stop me talking like a tough guy
Stop me from sounding like a tough guy
Subject matter's love
The subject matter is love
What would I need another enemy
Why would I want another person to dislike me?
I know I love you I can feel you in my energy
I know I love you because I can feel your presence strongly
I'm too scared to be a gun totting gangster want to-be
I'm too scared to pretend to be a gangster with a gun
I've got too much love inside of me
I have a lot of love inside of me
Met you on Mandalay
I met you on Mandalay Street
Or next week
Or maybe we'll meet next week
If I'm Tina I guess I'm weak
If I'm like Tina Turner, I suppose I'm weak
Big take making my head ache
Trying to make a big deal is giving me a headache
It's not your fault
It's not your fault
You don't understand
You don't understand
Take our hand
Take our hand and we'll help you
We give so don't be negative
We're being generous, so don't be negative
You don't feel the 'cause you feel yourself
You don't feel empathetic because you're only thinking of yourself
Stuck up in your own head
You're stuck in your own thoughts
Leave that till I'm dead
I don't want to deal with that until I'm dead
What do I think
What do I think?
I think instinct.
I trust my instincts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADRIAN NICHOLAS MATTHEW THAWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind