You and I travel to the beat of a different drum
Oh, can't you tell by the way I run
Every time you make eyes at me? Whoa
You cry and moan and say it will work out
But honey child I've got my doubts
You can't see the forest for the trees

So, don't get me wrong, it's not that I knock it
It's just that I am not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me
Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty
All I'm saying's I'm not ready for any person
Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me, so

Goodbye, I'll be leavin'
I see no sense in this cryin' and grievin'
We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me

So, don't get me wrong, it's not that I knock it
It's just that I am not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me
Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty
All I'm saying's I'm not ready for any person
Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me, so

Goodbye, I'll be leavin'
I see no sense in this cryin' and grievin'
We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me


Lyrics submitted by Bobo192, edited by mrainer

Different Drum Lyrics as written by Michael Nesmith

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Different Drum song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    This is a great song. It's pretty obvious that it's about a woman who's not ready for commitment. Not just with this particular man, but with anyone or anything. She's being brutally honest to him, but at least she's being honest.

    Ratman_84on June 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is kinda autobiographical for Linda, even though she didn't write it - Mike Nesmith of the Monkees wrote the song, undoubtedly from a male standpoint - in an interview somewhere far in the past Linda claimed that she would never marry, and she's true to her word - don't hold me to it, but I think she even did a tune titled "I Will Never Marry", or perhaps covered it in concert

    rockboy52on January 03, 2013   Link
  • -2
    My Interpretation

    Mike wrote this for Linda after he had asked her to marry him because he was so in love with her. But he knew and was relieved when she said she could never marry just one man, she was poly! He was crushed but agreeably understood. (He later was upset that Davy had also been with her some!) A missed and important factor to the beauty and success of the song and both singer and author is that to realize your own self and your true traits is the most important thing before committing to someone else! "Many will say that you can't love another until you love yourself. I say that you can never truly love another until you truly know yourselve!" Scotty Boyd

    scottyboydon June 19, 2017   Link

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