Night, lift up the shades
Let in the brilliant light of morning
But steady me now
For I am weak and starving for mercy

Sleep has left me alone
To carry the weight of unraveling where we went wrong
It's all I can do to hang on
To keep me from falling into old familiar shoes

How stupid could I be
A simpleton could see
That you're no good for me
But you're the only one I see

Love has made me a fool
It set me on fire and watched as I floundered
Unable to speak
Except to cry out and wait for your answer

But you come around in your time
Speaking of fabulous places, create an oasis
Dries up as soon as you're gone
You leave me here burning in this desert without you

How stupid could I be
A simpleton could see
That you're no good for me
But you're the only one I see

Everything changes
Everything falls apart
Can't stand to feel myself losing control
But deep in my senses, I know

How stupid could I be?
A simpleton could see
That you're no good for me
But you're the only one I see

How stupid could I be
A simpleton could see
That you're no good for me
But you're the only one I see


Lyrics submitted by liveoutloud

Stupid Lyrics as written by Sarah Mclachlan

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Stupid song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

19 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    How stupid could I be? Can't be the only one who asked this question in the history of mankind...

    emuInAmuumuuon May 27, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is amazing... Sarah has some of the most dead-on points in her songs...

    This particular one really has meaning for me, because I am going through a particularly tough time with the father of my unborn child... I love him dearly, and I only want to be with him, but he's very immature and keeps distancing himself... He'll tell me he loves me one day, and then ignore me for 5. It's like the whole bit from the song

    "... except to cry out and wait for your answer but you come around in your time speaking of fabulous places create an oasis dries up as soon as you're gone..."

    Despite my feelings for him, he may not be the best thing for me now.

    AngelofBradley1on February 25, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think that this song is about wanting something that you know is bad for you...

    yenon March 30, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is the first Sarah one I ever heard. I think it's not so much about cheating (remember, Sarah draws from emotional inspiration and if I'm not mistaken, she's happily married), but wanting what you know is bad for you.

    "But you come around in your time, speaking of fabulous places, create an oasis that dries up as soon as you're gone, you leave me here burning", these lines express how she feels about...hmmm. I'm really not sure how to put it into words, althoug I know what I want to say. But this song definitely isn't about cheating. I think it's a bit about remorse, actually. Remorse and naiveity. Favourite Line:

    "love has made me a fool, set me on fire and watched as I floudered"

    God, that's such beautiful poetry.

    freedom_session89on May 26, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    everyone is saying how this boy is no good for her, but she is love struck and nothing anyone can do will change that, she knows he is no good but she cant help but love him anyways.

    hollie18on January 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song just kind of shows how people tend to fall into their old habits. How people are stupid enough to settle with second best and stay with someone like that. You are better off on your own. I was lucky enough to realize this at a young age, but a lot of people I know go through this viscious cycle. But they tend to stick with what's easiest...but not smart...

    myztikalspyrilon June 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I really only like the chorus in the this song, but it's a definately one with a message.

    After seeing the music video, I'd've thought it was about cheating . . .

    Amatoryon January 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think it is about breaking up with someone you love so much, and all you want is to have them back even though deep down you know its not going to work - "sleep has left me alone to carry the weight of unraveling where we went wrong" "love has made me a fool, set me on fire and watched as i floundered unable to speak except to cry out and wait for your answer but you come around in your time speaking of fabulous places create an oasis dries up as soon as you're gone you leave me here burning in this desert without you"

    Those are my favourite lines, because when we broke up all i wanted was to be with him, and he knew that. so he saw me when "he" wanted to, and it made it all better for the couple of hours he was there, then when he left it was 10 times worse.

    this song to me sums up exactly how i felt when my boyfriend of 3 years broke up with me. i love it.

    jaffa3039on June 10, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Such beautiful poetry as said. I just love it, it relates to me so much. When I'm down so low, I need to hear this song or Fallen. My favourite lines are : "Love has made me a fool, set me on fire and watched as i floundered" because I feel that I try so hard, but I seem to mess up and then I burn in my depression.

    cay15on July 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it's kinda hard to understand what it's really about after watching the video. but i think the idea some of you have about falling into doing the same things over again and kinda of feeling...."stupid" for falling into that trap again. anyway, it's probably the best song on her afterglow cd.

    fixyouon July 30, 2005   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.