I hate you, I love you
Leave, please don't go away
Can't decide if I like your face
Or if I wish it would stray

You're a child but you're malicious
You're sweet but don't remember my name
And heads you win and tails I'm lost
And love equals pain

I am drifting without an anchor
Through your ambigous region
A strange continent immune to all reason
And I'm flattered by your grey matter

Inside my skin, I feel your tongue
Telling me I'm dirty and licking my bones
A surge against silence, a knife across a plate
Makes the sound of need on hate

I am drifting without an anchor
Through your ambigous region
A strange continent immune to all reason
And I'm flattered by your grey matter
And I do not understand why a woman can't just love a man

You're amusing you're a real cool show
With your meat hooks and barbed wire carnival
You got mothholes in your pockets
You got bullets in your soul
From too many false teeth and greasy flash bulbs

I am drifting without an anchor
Through your ambigous region
A strange continent immune to all reason
And I'm flattered by your grey matter

I love you
I hate you


Lyrics submitted by Ice

Grey Matter (Bonus Track, Live) Lyrics as written by Jewel Kilcher

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Grey Matter song meanings
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16 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    this is one of my fav. songs

    .paradox.on January 31, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is definitely one of my favorite songs, and probably my favorite song by Jewel. The lyrics are powerful (inside my skin I feel your tongue / it's telling me I'm dirty and licking my bones), it's very passionately sung, and the melody fits the words perfectly.

    MissMaweeon June 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is definitely one of my favorite songs, and probably my favorite song by Jewel. The lyrics are powerful (inside my skin I feel your tongue / it's telling me I'm dirty and licking my bones), it's very passionately sung, and the melody fits the words perfectly.

    MissMaweeon June 14, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is so meaningful. it's all about the oxymorons of love and how easy it is to hate and love someone at the same time.

    becca0688on March 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song rocks. I learned how to play it on guitar and it surprised me how easy it is to play. I love the lyrics. Jewel uses simple words and simple music to describe complex feelings. It's an oxymoron within itself. I love how she can get her point across so easily because she uses powerful analogies, metaphors, and personification. This song is especially good because of the way she shows the mixed emotions she is experiencing through the tone of her voice as well as the lyrics. The way the note goes up at the end of the line "Leave, don't go away" gives me the impression that it's a question rather than a statement. It shows that she's unsure of her feelings toward the man. While the notes steadily go down on the line "Love equals pain.", I am under the impression that this line is a statement that she is sure of. I love Jewel. This song equals awesome.

    zeroangelon February 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is my theme song. i am glad it has comments on it.

    Christian Hedoniston February 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    aaahhh so amazing.

    just the whole " i am flattered by your grey matter"

    its so amazing

    silhouettedon July 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i loveeee

    kiss_kiss_bang_bangon February 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i loveeee

    kiss_kiss_bang_bangon February 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    after she sings "from too many false teeth and greasy flash bulbs" the last chorus is beautiful. how she holds "i am drifting without an anchor" all in one breathe. her voice seems like it is doing exactly what she is singing...drifting without an anchor.

    Marie0891on March 12, 2007   Link

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