Barenaked Ladies – It's All Been Done

"It's All Been Done" as written by and Steven Page....
I met you before the fall of Rome
And I begged you to let me take you home
You were wrong, I was right
You said goodbye, I said goodnight

It's all been done
It's all been done
It's all been done before

I knew you before the west was won
And I heard you say the past
Was much more fun
You go your way, I go mine
But I'll see you next time

It's all been done
It's all been done
It's all been done before

If I put my fingers here, and if I say
"I love you, dear"
And if I play the same three chords,
Will you just yawn and say

It's all been done
It's all been done
It's all been done before

Alone and bored on a thirtieth-century night
Will I see you on The Price Is Right?
Will I cry? Will I smile?
As you run down the aisle?

It's all been done
It's all been done
It's all been done before

It's all been done
It's all been done
It's all been done before

It's all been done
It's all been done
It's all been done before


Lyrics submitted by ojms

"It's All Been Done" as written by Steven Page

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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It's All Been Done song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • +8
    General CommentOK so no one is mentioning the theory that this song is either about immortals, like vampires, or is about reincarnation? It spans from the fall of Rome up to the 30th century. It's a happy song, so I'd imagine it's about happy vampires who like game shows.
    Superblaston July 02, 2004   Link
  • +4
    General CommentI thought it was about rock music...it uses a lot of classical rock music motifs, the chord strucutre, the Beatle-esque melody, the "woo hoos!" and the "oo la las". I got the impression its about how popular music hasn't come up with anything new for a long time, and has been recylcing itself since at least the mid 1980s, and perhpas longer...
    magnetic sheepdogon January 25, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General CommentI always thought of this song as two separate people.. one who loves life and the other who's bored with everything. Spanning the centuries seems symbolic to living life. The one person keeps saying how the past was more fun and how they've already done everything while the other person is really living and is running down the aisle having a great time. Even the "woo hoo hoo"s could be taken as the bored person sarcastically saying "woo hoo" to life.
    fidget12on October 27, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentThe reincarnation theory kind of work with an idea I have, so I favor that one.
    Specifically the "you go your way, I'll go mine, but I'll see you next time," lyric says that they met up again, it didn't work out, but maybe they'll get it right in the next life? I like to think that the final verse is him seeing her on TV, sort of kind of recognizing her, and then going to seek her out one more time.
    TheSilverNobleon December 11, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Commentit's about how nothing is new anymore because someone else has already done all of the things u think are original. his g/f says the past was more fun (and it mentions the west being won, as in the last new frontier) and how things were still adventurous and new because others hadnt been there, done that before
    god_save_theQUEENon August 19, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI don't take the time periods mentioned in this song to suggest anything about reincarnation, rather, I think the notable events in history are mentioned to show that the couple's partnership is so familiar and they've known each other so long that even if they think they can go their seperate ways, they can't, because they are fixed together by their relationship being put in the history books, so to speak.
    historybuffon August 13, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI read all of the other posts and they all delineate the song quite accurately. Before seeing those, I always thought that the song was about a person who longed for a relationship with his significant other. The historical references are supposed to mean that he feels that they have known each other for so long in ways beyond imagination and that they are destined to be together. Love delayed is lust augmented and when they finally get together in the end (although encounters always screw up for them in some way) they will treasure each other due to the delay in marriage.
    monkeyradaron July 01, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI too think there are references to the sexual part of a relationship becoming stale. To me "..before the fall of Rome" and "....before the west was won" are references to the time before virginity is lost (whose, it's not clear) - a time when everything is new an exciting.

    And, as many others have pointed out, the reference to "fingers here" and "same three chords" is a not-so-subtle metaphore for a lack of sexual invention.

    The last part shows that outside love/sex, it's almost impossible for things to be new and novel. The 30th Century/Price is Right line conjures the idea that in centuries time, we'll still be regurgitating the same old entertainment ideas. That bit is true already!


    DarwinsMonkeyon September 26, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General CommentOkay, around 2001, after I had moved up to Orlando, and our group had already started up a major GURPS superhero campaign, my roommate heard this song and thought it would best be done as an "animated music video" done with our characters from the superhero campaign. Of course, 12 years later, I've still done nothing, but I have the proposed scenes and whatnot so I can always go back and tackle it again once I, y'know, learn Flash and all that!

    Basically, the idea is that, later in the 21st century (2017-ish), our superheroes all join a branch of the government and form the TCC (Time Correction Corps), being led by my character, Melody Nicole Mitchell (aka Time Out, mistress of all things time-related). The idea would be to travel back to certain eras of time (usually historic) and "fix issues" that end up happening. Sometimes via violence, sometimes by ALLOWING said violence to happen. Shades of "Timecop", anyone?
    limedogon September 29, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Commentpsst - There's a line missing:

    ...And if I play the same three chords
    Will you just yawn and say
    "It's all been done before?"
    Woo hoo hoo...
    syd_Melon June 30, 2002   Link

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