This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
It ain't easy being this kind of lover when you never call me
It ain't easy being this kind of lover, won't you ever call me
Oh, I'm dedicated, yes, I'm a forgiver
Oh, I'm dedicated, sure, I'm a giver
I'm dedicated, yes, I'm a forgiver
I'll forgive you always
Although I know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on)
Although I know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on)
Although I know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on)
Although I know you turn it on, yeah, turn it on
You don't want to know how I manage alone
Oh no, you don't want to know what goes on when I'm on my own
You don't want to know how I plan on my own, oh no
You don't want to know how I know when you're on your own
I'll never be alone, yeah (turn it on)
You know I'd follow you to Rome, yeah (turn it on)
I know the places you call home, yeah (turn it on)
You know I'll get you on your own, yeah, turn it on
Ah, You know I know where you are
You know I know where you are
You know
I can't have another (you turn it on)
I can't stop thinking of you (you turn it on)
If I can't have you then nobody can
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Cause you turn it on, you turn it on
You turn it on, you turn it on
You turn it on, you turn it on
Woo, you turn it on
It ain't easy being this kind of lover, won't you ever call me
Oh, I'm dedicated, yes, I'm a forgiver
Oh, I'm dedicated, sure, I'm a giver
I'm dedicated, yes, I'm a forgiver
I'll forgive you always
Although I know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on)
Although I know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on)
Although I know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on)
Although I know you turn it on, yeah, turn it on
You don't want to know how I manage alone
Oh no, you don't want to know what goes on when I'm on my own
You don't want to know how I plan on my own, oh no
You don't want to know how I know when you're on your own
I'll never be alone, yeah (turn it on)
You know I'd follow you to Rome, yeah (turn it on)
I know the places you call home, yeah (turn it on)
You know I'll get you on your own, yeah, turn it on
Ah, You know I know where you are
You know I know where you are
You know
I can't have another (you turn it on)
I can't stop thinking of you (you turn it on)
If I can't have you then nobody can
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Cause you turn it on, you turn it on
You turn it on, you turn it on
You turn it on, you turn it on
Woo, you turn it on
Lyrics submitted by celticblade
Turn It On Lyrics as written by Nicholas John Mccarthy Alexander Paul Kapranos Huntley
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Yep this was near enough what I got too! (I'm mean_old_scene of LJ lol)
I think I remember something being said about one of the guys getting a letter from a fan saying they thought Franz were sending them messages through their songs... or I could have just made that up :/ But I do get a vibe of a very stalkerish/obsessed fan. Awesome song.
wait no I'm not! I'm notwonderwoman from LJ XD
It sounds like the narrator is some kind of possessive ('if I can't have you then nobody can') stalker/ex-lover.
I really like this song - can't wait for the third album :D
the song sounds great
I think its a little crush gone wrong horribly wrong esp at the part "if i cant have you then nobody can" I left a comment on myspace talking about it and I think I got something right because they put it on the page =D
this song is so addictive!! my favorite off the new album.
Hey forgivers, this is for you :D
Is it just me or does the noise over the chorus sound like the lens of a camera whirring? So "turn it on" and take a picture? that was my first thought.
According to Song Facts, "Kapranos described this to the New Musical Express January 17,2009 as a 'psycho-stalker anthem.'"
They've changed the lyrics a bit for the album version. He only sings the first verse once now.
1st verse: "I'm dedicated, yes, I'm a forgiver I'm dedicated, yeah, some kind of giver"
Chorus: "I want to know you turn it on, yeah (turn it on) I want to know you turn it on, yeah, turn it on!"
Otherwise this is fairly spot on.