When I need it so bad, why do you not come to defend
Is that any way to tell me that you're gonna be a terrible friend
You remind me of a distant constellation
The way you cover it up, but don't let me touch
So now you wanna know is that important
Baby now well it just depends, it just depends

And when you come back uptown remember not to look for me there
I give you one more chance to make it better but you don't seem to care
You pretend to be accosted by tradition
And now you cover it up, tell me you don't
Well now you wanna know is nothing sacred
And I don't wanna have to compare, they don't compare

When I see your friends they say it's in my head
All my friends seem to think you might leave me for dead
I don't remember if it's cost or complication
That keeps leaving it out, cover it up
And if you wanna know I won't confront you
With all the stupid things that you said


Lyrics submitted by jpugh, edited by demyelinated, mathew4261

Ten Twenty Ten Lyrics as written by Grant Evan Widmer Edward Bartlett Joyner

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Ten-Twenty-Ten song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

5 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    I'm not sure what the title means, but it reminds me of french numbers. The way you say sixty-ten for seventy. And four-twenties for eighty. But that's probably not it.

    I love this song and I can't stop hearing it in my head.

    The title could also be like, 10 - 20 - 10. 10+10 = 20, and I think this song is about a break up. So the two people are back to themselves, but there's still this connection to 20, it's still between them.

    demiunchouon September 05, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love this song, it has just enough detail that it feels very real, yet just ambiguous enough that I can't figure out what it means. Of course I want to know, but then again, part of what makes me love it so much is that I can't figure it out, and I get to make my own meaning out of it!

    My interpretation: obviously there's a conflict in the relationship, and I get the sense that the woman is denying him sexual gratification, perhaps because of "tradition," perhaps religion, and just not thinking that should be a necessary part of there relationship: "well now you wanna know is that important" - to which the speaker responds "it just depends." It's a classic tension in relationships that's been present in poetry and literature for centuries: the woman needs to protect her chastity in order to remain independent, the man needs physical intimacy in order to feel loved. To me it makes a lot of sense to read the song this way

    nate126123on September 21, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Fantastic song, I can't stop listening to it. Anyone know what the title signifies?

    Also, I believe the missing word in the fourth stanza above is "accosted".

    facelessgremlinon August 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Fact

    The fourth line is, "They way you cover it up, but don't let me touch."

    mathew4261on January 26, 2016   Link
  • 0
    Song Fact

    "It keeps leaving it out and cover it up" 3rd line from the bottom.

    mathew4261on January 26, 2016   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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
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"
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”