See-Through
Yellow Magic Orchestra Lyrics


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You try to fool me and lose me in your excesses
You′re so see-through in your very tight dresses
As you drown in your glass of cointreau
And I drop off to sleep in the gloom
We're still running round in circles
We′re still running round in circles
As the smoke from your cigarette spirals
You're so clever at hiding your guilt
We're still running round in circles
We′re still running round in circles
You try to fool me and lose me in your excesses
You′re so see-through in your very tight dresses
We're still running round in circles
We′re still running round in circles
You try to fool me and lose me in your excesses
You're so see-through in your very tight dresses
As you drown in your glass of cointreau
And I drop off to sleep in the gloom
You try to fool me and lose me in your excesses
You′re so see-through in your very tight dresses
As the smoke from your cigarette spirals
You're so clever at hiding your guilt




You try to fool me and lose me in your excesses
You′re so see-through in your very tight dresses

Overall Meaning

Yellow Magic Orchestra's song See-Through is a critique of a woman who is trying too hard to impress, but ultimately reveals herself to be shallow and transparent. The opening lines of the song emphasize this, as the singer points out that the woman is "trying to fool me and lose me in your excesses." She is attempting to deceive and manipulate him, but her efforts are in vain - he sees right through her.


The song goes on to describe the woman's physical appearance, highlighting her "very tight dresses" and her tendency to drown her sorrows in a glass of cointreau. Despite her efforts to hide her flaws, the singer can see that she's "clever at hiding [her] guilt" and that they're both "still running round in circles," suggesting that they're trapped in a cycle of superficiality and deceit.


The repetition of the lines "you try to fool me and lose me in your excesses, you're so see-through in your very tight dresses" throughout the song reinforces the idea that the woman is not as clever or deceptive as she thinks she is - her attempts to impress or deceive the singer only serve to reveal her true character. The reference to cigarette smoke spiraling suggests that this is an indulgence, indicating that she is not only trying to hide her true self, but potentially running from something deeper.


Line by Line Meaning

You try to fool me and lose me in your excesses
You attempt to deceive me with your indulgent behavior, hoping I'll become lost in it and forget your true intentions.


You′re so see-through in your very tight dresses
Your true motives and personality are very transparent despite your attempts to hide them through revealing clothing.


As you drown in your glass of cointreau
You are becoming overwhelmed by your consumption of alcohol, which is clouding your judgement and leading you down a dangerous path.


And I drop off to sleep in the gloom
I am saddened by your behavior, but have become so used to it that it no longer affects me, causing me to become tired and apathetic.


We're still running round in circles
Our relationship is stuck in a repetitive cycle, with no progress or resolution in sight.


As the smoke from your cigarette spirals
The physical act of smoking is a representation of how you try to hide your true self, using a smokescreen to cloak your actions.


You're so clever at hiding your guilt
Despite your transparency in other areas, you are skilled at hiding your feelings of remorse or responsibility for your actions.




Writer(s): Elizabeth Mayhew Ryan, Alan Joshua Wilkis

Contributed by Hunter B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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