Teeth
theEttes Lyrics

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It sets me off to see the people
Always so easy to play
I'd rather keep my head down
Carry out the rest of my day
Somethin' 'bout the way that
People love their harm
I've got an eye for trouble
And that's what keeps me up in arms

You've got this thing about you
That keeps me on the edge of my seat
'Cause every time you smile
I can tell you're just showing your teeth

It bothers me to notice
But it sure seems you like that game
Surprises me every time
But really it's just the same
You handle everything and everyone
With that velvet glove
But when you take it off
I can see your skin is not enough
There's something there about you
Like an animal ready to feed
And every time you smile
I can tell you're just showing your teeth

Speak a little softer now
Or maybe just use your eyes
Pull her in around you
Using love as your disguise
There's danger in everything
You say and do
I guess we're not so different
And that's what makes me blue
The funny thing about it is
I know you got what I need
When every time you smile
I can tell you're just showing your teeth

Yeah every time you smile I can tell

Overall Meaning

The song "Teeth" by The Ettes is a cautionary tale about people who use their charm and charisma to manipulate others. The lyrics describe how the singer is able to see through this facade and is wary of people who use their "velvet glove" to get what they want. The line "there's something there about you like an animal ready to feed" suggests that these manipulative people are like predators who use their charm to lure in their prey.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's unease with this kind of behavior, as they can "tell you're just showing your teeth" when you smile. This line is a play on the idiom "to bare one's teeth," which means to show aggression or hostility. By juxtaposing this with the act of smiling, the song suggests that these manipulative people are not as kind or genuine as they appear.

The bridge of the song shifts the focus to the singer, suggesting that they too may be guilty of manipulating others using love and charm. The line "I guess we're not so different and that's what makes me blue" suggests that the singer is grappling with their own flaws and shortcomings.

Overall, "Teeth" is a song that warns against trusting people who seem too good to be true. The use of animalistic imagery and the juxtaposition of smiling and aggression creates a sense of unease and tension that underscores the song's message.

Line by Line Meaning

It sets me off to see the people Always so easy to play
I get upset when I see people who are easily manipulated

I'd rather keep my head down Carry out the rest of my day
I prefer to avoid getting involved in anything troublesome

Somethin' 'bout the way that People love their harm
There's something about the way people enjoy causing harm to themselves or others

I've got an eye for trouble And that's what keeps me up in arms
I can easily spot troublesome situations, which makes me anxious

You've got this thing about you That keeps me on the edge of my seat
There's something intriguing and suspenseful about you that captivates me

'Cause every time you smile I can tell you're just showing your teeth
I know you're not showing genuine happiness when you smile, but rather displaying your real nature

It bothers me to notice But it sure seems you like that game
I don't like what I see, but it seems like you enjoy playing games

Surprises me every time But really it's just the same
I'm always surprised, but in reality, it's no different than before

You handle everything and everyone With that velvet glove
You handle everything and everyone with kid gloves

But when you take it off I can see your skin is not enough
But when you drop the façade, I see that you don't have enough to offer

There's something there about you Like an animal ready to feed
There's something animalistic about you, like you're always ready to pounce

And every time you smile I can tell you're just showing your teeth
Even when you smile, I know you're not genuine and you're still showing your real nature

Speak a little softer now Or maybe just use your eyes
Maybe you should tone it down and let your eyes do the talking

Pull her in around you Using love as your disguise
You're using love as a façade to lure someone in

There's danger in everything You say and do
There's a level of risk or danger associated with everything you say or do

I guess we're not so different And that's what makes me blue
I suppose we're not so different, and that realization is saddening

The funny thing about it is I know you got what I need
Ironically, I know you have what I want or need

When every time you smile I can tell you're just showing your teeth
Even though you smile, I still know you're not being genuine and you're still revealing your true nature

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEREMY COHEN, LINDSAY HAMES, MARIA SILVER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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