Try and breathe some life into a letter
Losing hope, never be together
My courage is at it's peak
You know what I mean

How do say you're okay to
An answering machine?
How do you say good night to
An answering machine?

Big town's got its losers
Small town's got its vices
A handful of friends
One needs a match, one needs some ice

Call-waiting phone in another time zone
How do you say I miss you to
An answering machine?
How do say good night to
An answering machine?

Try and free a slave of ignorance
Try and teach a whore about romance

How do you say I miss you to
An answering machine?
How do you say good night to
An answering machine?
How do you say I'm lonely to
An answering machine?
The message is very plain
Oh, I hate your answering machine
I hate your answering machine
I hate your answering machine
I hate your answering machine


Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by heather152

Answering Machine Lyrics as written by Paul Westerberg

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Answering Machine song meanings
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    General Comment

    I just don't completely understand the line "One needs a match, one needs some ice"...I'm assuming that one needs a match for a cigarette and one needs some ice for (presumably) an alcoholic drink...

    Perhaps he's missing something in his life (maybe the girl he's trying to get a hold of?) like he's missing the match for his smoke and the ice for his drink...he's just not complete or something along those lines

    I also thought about match as in a match in a relationship (i.e. "they're a perfect match") but then the ice thing doesn't work with it or make sense

    RobotRockon October 08, 2007   Link

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