It makes you blind, it does you in
It makes you think you're pretty tough
It makes you prone to crime and sin
It makes you say things off the cuff

It's very small and made of glass
And grossly over-advertised
It turns a genius into an ass
And makes a fool think he is wise

It could make you regret your birth
Or turn cartwheels in your best suit
It costs a lot more than it's worth
And yet there is no substitute

They keep it on a higher shelf
The older and more pure it grows
It has no color in itself
But it can make you see rainbows

You can find it on the Bowery
Or you can find it at Elaine's
It makes your words more flowery
It makes the sun shine, makes it rain

You just get out what they put in
And they never put in enough
Love is like a bottle of gin
But a bottle of gin is not like love


Lyrics submitted by Anne Arbour

Love Is Like a Bottle of Gin Lyrics as written by Stephin Raymond Merritt

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

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Love Is Like a Bottle of Gin song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    god damn this guy is a metaphor king

    barronson November 29, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Without doubt, one of the most clever songs regarding lyrics ever written. This is a song that you need to listen to whilst reading the lyrics, and then once you've heard it and read the title again, go back and listen to it from the other perspective. That is, once from the point of view of love, then from the point of view as it being a bottle of gin. Then listen to it one more time when you understand both perspectives, and it is incredible. Absolute genius.

    tinderstickson February 04, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    so much truth in that one...

    *Lady_Elvenhair*on June 03, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    this song is pure genius and that's all that can be said

    HyperGlitteron April 26, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    agreed.

    kcsongbirdon March 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    one of my favorites. great words. :)

    JimmieNeverDieson October 29, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Sums it up perfectly. I can't even comment on Stephin Merritt. Too much of a genuis.

    thejesstheoryon May 21, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    One of my all time favorites. Just pure genius

    Martdogyoon January 14, 2023   Link

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