Well you've got the perfect disguise and you're looking okay
From the bottom of the best to the worst well what can I say
'Cause you cocked your head to shoot me down
And I don't give a damn about you or this town no more
No, but I know the score
Need me to fall down so you can climb up
Some fool-ass ladder. Well, good luck.

I hope, hope there's something better up there
'Cause you cocked your head to shoot me down
And I don't give a damn about you or this town no more
No, 'cause I know the score
Broke my back


Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by truthlover557

Perfect Disguise Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Perfect Disguise song meanings
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56 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    i think this may be more about someone who uses you to get what they want and when you read through the lies and catch them, they leave you. "need me to fall down some fool-ass ladder, well goodluck i hope there's something better out there" is what the person wants him to do. could be getting used by a girlfriend trying to make her life better while she doesn't do anything for him and isn't appreciative at all and when he stops doing what he's doing, she leaves him. it sounds something like that but could be for anyone not just a relationship. you see the person though finally for all of their lies and you start to hate everyone and everything for letting you believe their lives: "and i don't give a damn about you or this town no more" this person is obviously being used by everyone around him or feels like he's being used. he doesn't want to talk to anyone, doesn't trust anyone, and believes everyone has a "perfect disguise" and that they're not actually who they say they are. It takes a while to catch on to these disguises but after you realize you wish them luck with the rest of their lives as a way to tell them to go fuck theirselves and just pick up, leave town, leave the girl or whoever, and start out new...you've given up on them and that's fucking that. that's what this song means to me.

    x32543on November 06, 2011   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    <3 modest mouse

    i can't listen to this song without listeing to tiny cities made of ashes right after. it's like a reflex.

    awaitworthwhileon March 08, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Songs are meant to be interpreted for personal reasons. Any song can mean anything to anyone. To me, this song is about realizing that someone was using you all along, and they finally totally fucked you over, so you leave them behind. I think this because I relate to it, and it hapened to me.

    "Need me to fall down so you can climb up Some fool as a ladder, well good luck I hope, I hope there's something better up there."

    She wanted more, so she cheated on me, then left me. Used me then moved on. Good luck; I hope there's something better up there.

    lunchboxturtleon January 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    modes mouse...beautiful

    pixie*on April 14, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    well, i think its pretty obvious what this song means, i cant help but feel like this song relates to someone i know or at thought i did. crazy, this guy is probably my favorite lyricsist.

    jadetear82on June 21, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i dont like hearing tiny cities afterwards :( ..i made a seperate CD and i have stryofoam boots next :) to me its a good one two punch of emotionally cleansing material

    Abex22on May 09, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is perfect perfect perfect.

    spindleon May 26, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Can anybody believe i hated this song at first. I always passed it up skipping through tracks, then not too long ago, I had it stuck in my head and I immediately ran to my computer and learned the tabs. Its now probably my fav modest mouse song. Amazing!!

    barnacleson October 30, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    broke my back?? hehe

    blingincrackeron November 12, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    to me this song has always represented the business world. i think the ladder represents the corporate ladder and the narrator seems to no longer care... "Need me to fall down, so you can climb up/ Some fool ass ladder, well good luck" and "Well good luck believing every word that’s said I hope you have enough space in your head"

    wreckedonyou32on November 15, 2004   Link

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