Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Lucy's underground
She's got a mouth to feed
Am I underground
Or am I in between

Lucy's underground
She's got a mouth to feed
Am I underground
Or am I in too deep

Show me love
You've got your hand on the button now
Showin' love
You've got your hand on the button now

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Lucy's underground
She's never comin' back
Am I still alive
Or has the light gone black

Take me underground
Take me all the way
Bring me to the fire
Throw me in the flame

So, show me love
You've got your hands on the button now
Showin' love
You've got your hand on the button now

I'd rather die
I'd rather die
Than to be with you

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh (than to be with you)
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh (I'd rather die)
Oh, oh, oh, oh


Lyrics submitted by davidbernie, edited by kamikazi137, 0scarA1berto

When I'm Small Lyrics as written by Joshua Carter Caleb Shreve

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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When I'm Small song meanings
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  • +2
    My Interpretation

    I'm currently an inpatient in a mental unit for teenagers, and I've recently come across this song. This is how I interpret it:

    Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh Lucy's underground She's got a mouth to feed Am I underground Or am I in between

    In the unit I'm in, there is a girl called Lucy, who I'm guessing is Schizophrenic. I've never accepted that there's something wrong with me mentally, but Lucy has. I interpret the underground bit as being mentally ill. Am I underground? (Am I mentally ill?) Or am I in between?

    Lucy's underground She's got a mouth to feed Am I underground Or am I in too deep

    This bit I interpret as, am I actually mentally ill, and the reason why I haven't accepted it is because I'm 'in too deep'? As in I'm too busy living in my head and I've been living like this for so long that I don't see what it looks like from the outside, and how it isn't normal for other people.

    Show me love You've got your hand on the button now Showin' love You've got your hand on the button now

    I'm allowed home every weekend on 'leave', and when I have to go back Sunday night, my Mum walks me to the door and presses a button, which basically rings a bell, and then one of the nurses comes to let me in. I interpret this part as how even though I don't see it this way, my Mum is doing what she thinks is best for me by bringing me back there. She is 'showin' love'.

    Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh

    Lucy's underground, She's never comin' back Am I still alive Or has the light gone black

    This bit I interpret as Lucy will maybe be this way for her whole life, because if she does have Schizophrenia (I've never really asked her, but I think she has), then I may be wrong, but I think it's one of those things you have for life. This bit I see as can I ever be 'cured', or am I too far gone to come back? Is the old me still alive, or is she dead, and this is just how I am now?

    Take me underground Take me all the way Bring me to the fire Throw me in the flame

    Pretty much all the time I feel very suicidal, so I interpret this part as wanting to die. Not trying to help yourself or anything, but just going along with suicidal thoughts, because its the easier thing to do, and I don't really want to stick around any longer anyway.

    So, show me love You've got your hands on the button now Showin' love You've got your hand on the button now

    I'd rather die, I'd rather die, Than to be with you

    I interpret this bit as I'd rather die than be with myself. My head is an extremely dark place, and I'd rather die, than have to be with me anymore.

    Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh, (than to be with you) Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh, (I'd rather die) Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh

    I know that when Phantogram wrote this song, they definitely didn't write it about me, but this is just my interpretation.

    LoudSilenceson March 22, 2015   Link

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