The song was written around the time President Obama announced his presidential run. Vienna Teng thought, "Wow, this guy has really good ideas and seems to have a really good heart that will hopefully not be corrupted by politics." While being cynical would have been easier, Vienna thought, "I really want to help make this happen."
Stray Italian Greyhound
Vienna Teng Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please not now
I just settled into the glass half empty
Made myself at home
And so why now
Please not now
I just stopped believing in happy endings
Harbors of my own
But you had to come along didn't you
Tear down the doors, throw open windows
Oh if you knew just what a fool you have made me
So what do I do with this?
This stray Italian greyhound
These inconvenient fireworks
This ice-cream-covered screaming hyperactive thought
God I just want to lay down
These colors make my eyes hurt
This feeling calls for everything that I am
Not
I'm not that kind
I'm so good at shooting down any notion
This tired world could change
It's all been bought
Or at least that was my line
No use in spending all that emotion
When there's someone else to blame
But you had to come along didn't you
Rev up the crowd, rewrite the rule book
Where do I go when every 'n' turns into 'maybe'
So what do I do with this?
This sudden burst of sunlight
And me with my umbrella
Cross-indexing every weatherman's report
I was ready for the down slide
But not for spring to well up
This feeling calls for everything I can't afford
To know
Is possible now
What do I do
With a love that won;t sit still
Won't do what it's told
What do I do
With a love that won't sit still
The song "Stray Italian Greyhound" by Vienna Teng is a beautiful reflection on the power of love and how it can completely change someone's perspective on life. The opening lines express a sense of resignation and pessimism: the singer has settled into a "glass half empty" mentality and stopped believing in happy endings. However, all of this changes when love comes knocking at her door. Suddenly, everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. "But you had to come along didn't you, tear down the doors, throw open windows," she sings, addressing her newfound love.
The second verse continues in this vein, with the singer acknowledging that she has always been resistant to change and has been content to let others take the lead. She recognizes that it's much easier to place blame on the world than to try to make things better. But again, love challenges her to see things differently. This time, she pleads with her lover to help her figure out what to do with these unfamiliar feelings: "So what do I do with this? This sudden burst of sunlight and me with my umbrella..."
Line by Line Meaning
Oh no not now
This situation is not convenient according to my current state
Please not now
I am not ready to handle this current situation
I just settled into the glass half empty
I have become accustomed to pessimism and expecting the worst
Made myself at home
I have accepted this negative state as my new normal
And so why now
There is no apparent reason why this situation must occur right now
Please not now
I would like to postpone or avoid dealing with this situation
I just stopped believing in happy endings
I have lost faith in the possibility of positive outcomes
Harbors of my own
I have created my own isolated and negative world
But you had to come along didn't you
Regardless of my wishes, someone has disrupted my negative reality
Tear down the doors, throw open windows
This person has brought in new energy and opportunities
Oh if you knew just what a fool you have made me
I feel vulnerable and exposed in my newfound feelings
So what do I do with this?
I am unsure of how to handle these new emotions
This stray Italian greyhound
This new emotion is like a wandering, uncontrollable dog
These inconvenient fireworks
These new feelings are like fireworks that are difficult to control
This ice-cream-covered screaming hyperactive thought
This intense emotion feels overwhelming and unmanageable
God I just want to lay down
I feel exhausted and want to rest
These colors make my eyes hurt
These new experiences are almost too bright and stimulating
This feeling calls for everything that I am
These emotions require me to be completely vulnerable and open
Not
But I am not capable of showing or handling these emotions
I'm not that kind
I have been conditioned to avoid vulnerability or open emotionality
I'm so good at shooting down any notion
I am skilled at suppressing any positive or hopeful thoughts or emotions
This tired world could change
I no longer believe that the world has the capacity for positive change
It's all been bought
I believe that everything, including happiness, is a commodity for purchase
Or at least that was my line
I used to believe that pessimism and cynicism were the best coping mechanisms
No use in spending all that emotion
It is not practical or useful to engage in emotional openness
When there's someone else to blame
I prefer to attribute my negative experiences to external factors rather than emotional vulnerability
Rev up the crowd, rewrite the rule book
This person has brought about major changes and disrupted the norm
Where do I go when every 'n' turns into 'maybe'
There is uncertainty and hesitancy in my approach to this new situation
This sudden burst of sunlight
This new situation feels like an unexpected flash of brightness
And me with my umbrella
I was not prepared or expecting this change
Cross-indexing every weatherman's report
I am trying to gather as much information as possible in order to understand this new situation
I was ready for the down slide
I was prepared to face negative outcomes
But not for spring to well up
But I was not expecting such a sudden and intense positive change
This feeling calls for everything I can't afford
These new emotional experiences require more emotional vulnerability than I feel capable of
To know
But I am trying my best to understand and embrace this new situation
What do I do with a love that won't sit still
How do I handle these new feelings that are constantly changing and uncontrollable?
Won't do what it's told
These emotions do not follow any rules or preconceived expectations.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: VIENNA TENG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind