It's nothing, it's so normal
You just stand there I could say so much
But I don't go there cuz I don't want to
I was thinking if you were lonely
Maybe we could leave here and no one would know
At least not to the point that we would think so

Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking about
Somebody else
It's best if we all keep it under our heads
I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do
But I'm lonely now, and I don't know how
To get it back to good

This don't mean that, you own me
This ain't no good, in fact it's phony as hell
But things worked out just like you wanted too
If you see me out you don't know me
Try to turn your head, try to give me some room
To figure out just what I'm going to do

And everyone here, hates everyone here for doing
Just like they do
It's best if we all keep this quiet instead
And I couldn't tell, why everyone here was doing me like
They do
But I'm sorry now, and I don't know how
To get it back to good

Everyone here, is wondering what it's like to be with
Somebody else
Everyone here's to blame, everyone here
Gets caught up in the pleasure of the pain, everyone hides
Shades of shame, but looking inside we're the same
We're the same
And we're all grown now, but we don't know how
To get it back to good

Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking 'bout
Somebody else
It's best if we all keep this under our heads
I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do
But it's over now, and I don't know how, it's over now
There's no getting back to good


Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal, edited by psueb

Back 2 Good Lyrics as written by Rob Thomas Matthew Serletic

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Back 2 Good song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

63 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment

    It's about being in a Yahoo chat room or on Facebook.

    babyjadeon November 01, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Rob Thomas says it's about screwing up so much that you actually become good at it.

    slh626on April 17, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song means a lot to me right now 'cause it speaks to me about something I'm going through, but not in the same way as it seems to speak to the rest of you. That's the beauty of music, that a single song can mean so many things to so many people.

    Anyway, to me it's about not being able to be with the person you want to be with, because they're really thinking about somebody else they'd rather be with, and that really everyone does that, thus the part about hating everyone for doing just like they (you) do. It's almost cyclical. Everyone's thinking about being with somebody else, but that person is in turn doing the same thing, and it hurts, but can you really blame them? You want to yet at the same time you're doing it to the person you're with. In the end no one's happy, and that's why they invented the blues lol. As the Beetles said, "obladi oblada life goes on..."

    diggit18on December 11, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love this song. It says so much about me and a group of my friends. It is just awesome.

    snypsyon February 06, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "It's nothing, it's so normal you Just stand there I could say so much But I don't go there cuz I don't want to I was thinking if you were lonely Maybe we could leave here and no one would know At least not to the point that we would think so" he runs into someone he used to date, and they don't say what he really wants to say -- small talk. and he says that even if they did run away together, no one would really notice. they'd be like 'oh, they're gone' and go about their daily lives.

    'Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking about Somebody else It's best if we all keep it under our heads I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do But I'm lonely now, and I don't know how To get it back to good' everything and everyone is littered with infidelity, but as long as it's kept secret it's all right. because of all the lies, he can't figure out if anyone else feels like he does, and all he wants is the truth.

    'And everyone here, hates everyone here for doing just like they do It's best if we all keep this quiet instead And I couldn't tell, why everyone here was doing me like they do' he's talking about hypocrites and how they don't talk about anything important. he feels like he's somehow caught in the middle or involved and he wants out.

    'everyone here gets caught up in the pleasure of the pain, everyone hides shades of shame, but looking inside we're the same, we're the same And we're all grown now, but we don't know how to get it back to good' he's talking about how everyone's hiding behind their lies, how they get so caught up in it that they find pleasure in pain. they all believe they're so different, but "inside we're all the same". and he says that no matter how old they get, they're still immature and don't know how to make it right again.

    sapphireskieson September 26, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song just reminds me of being at a party and everyone is randomly hooking up with whomever is available even though they are all thinking about and wishing they were with someone else. But they are bored and lonely, and it's easy. You know that it's fake and meaningless and tomorrow you'll pretend not to know each other. You want to stop this cycle but you aren't sure if you'll ever be able to. My favorite line is "And everyone here, hates everyone here for doing just like They do" ....pretty self explanitory. The song could easily be about everything everyone above me said as well, this is just what it initially made me think of.

    strangersatelliteon November 01, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think it's about 2 people who are in a "secret" relationship. Kinda a friends w/ benefits type thing. They see each other in a bar and know that they could sneak away. People may notice that they're gone but the 2 don't think that everyone put the pieces together, that they're sleeping w/ each other. One has feelings for the other, the one that's speaking these lyrics. "I could say so much but I don't go there cuz I don't want to"... he could tell her his feelings but he doesn't want her to know that he really cares and that it's not all about the sex. But if she's lonely and needs comfort he's up for it b/c he'll take any kind of relationship he can have with her, anything for her company, even just the empty comfort of empty sex. And that basically everyone else thinks and does the same thing, envolves their selves in whatever vices just to seek a little acceptance and comfort. They would all do the same thing but it's best that no one talks about it and keeps it to themselves b/c no one wants to face it. And talking about it would bring the 2's "relationship" to light. Or that's what he thinks, that everyone else would do what he's doing, put in the situation but he doesn't know that for sure, he can't tell if everyone really feels the same. He's trying to justify his actions b/c he knows that it's wrong. Hanging on to something that's not there, being used.

    The next verse is trying to convince himself that even though he cares for her that he can pull away from her whenever. He's angry about the relationship and angry w/ himself and he doesn't like the stipulations of the non-relationship. We don't speak in public, you don't have to talk to me. This is a fake relationship, it's phony, he's trying to say his feelings are phony. And that the other person is getting what they wanted, he's hurt and wants to have room b/c he can't handle seeing her and not holding her. Not showing his feelings. He doesn't know how to make this relationship a real relationship and doesn't know how to get out of just being a sex thing cuz he wants her in his life so bad. And he feels like hes' being judged by everyone around him b/c he thinks they know. He hurts in the long run just to feel pleasure and love and attachment for the moment. Everyone can relate to it in some way, we all have our vices.

    YappyMutton August 25, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I have always loved this song. Takes me back to the good old days in junior high school. But as much as I've always loved it, it has never had more meaning to me than it does now:

    I tell myself that it's nothing and normal...I could see myself falling for this guy even though I could never tell him. We've hooked up and no one knows about it; at least not to my knowledge. I can assume that everyone else wonders what it's like to be with someone other than their partner, but no one would ever dare say it. Of course I can't tell what they're thinking. We've crossed the line and there's no going back to way things were before us.

    Just because we've crossed this line, it doesn't mean I'm his. As a matter of fact, what we have is fake. But we both like the way things are going. If we ever run into each other in public, we simply turn our heads while in our minds try to figure things out. When we hear about these stories, we hate the people for doing the very thing that we're doing. And again, it's better to keep this quiet. I'm sorry about what's happened; we probably both are...but there's no going back.

    Everyone is to blame for this mess and everyone enjoys the deeper pain that comes along with this intense pleasure. Everyone here hides behind their shame by putting on a front. Let's just put this under the radar. I'm sorry...but there's no going back.

    carelesswhisperson April 11, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I am divorced and now I am trying Internet dating. This song is not about that, but it describes it perfectly. Listen again with that in mind and see how it fits :) Amazing song with wonderful lyrics.

    Jolinon June 03, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I didn't like this song at first, but then I had a dream, and was listening to this, and I love it, it goes perfectly with my dream!

    Okay, so I don't think this is exactly what he was writing about, but if you listen to it, it goes perfectly with it!

    In the beginning he doesn't talk very fondly of the person, but yet says if she's lonely maybe they can sneak off togther, I think this is because when he has sex with her, he's cheating on a girlfriend or wife, I think the mistress knows he's in a relationship, and has from the beginning, but still came,onto him.

    He feels horrible about cheating, but the lust overpowers that feeling.

    He's trying to think of a way to either pretend this doesn't happen or tell his girlfriend, so they can hopefully go back to a normal relationship and not have the weight of this on him, at the end he realizes he can't.

    Also, since now he's a cheater, having once been a critisizer of people who cheat, he realizes just how common it is, or at least to wo,der what it would be like to with someone else.

    In his mind this might even be a good reason to cheat "everyone's doing it".

    Turistason July 14, 2015   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
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
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
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.