In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
This is for the one who was false
Who taught me about building walls
One who could always turn it around
To leave me here on shaky ground
This is for the one who made good
In someone else's neighborhood
One who was never anything but
The shifty eye of sheer bad luck
Once I thought that I would never forget
And I have not quite done that yet
But I could hurt you now
I could hurt you now
This is for the time that I lost
The death of who I thought I was
The things in which I cannot believe
For fear I'll wear them on my sleeve
Things I know that will never be returned
But I crossed that bridge before it burned
So I could hurt you now
I could hurt you now
(listen, sonny boy
You just don't get it, do you)
I could hurt you now
(tell you what I'll do
I'll get that message to you)
Maybe it leaves an invisible scar
But I have not come quite that far
But I could hurt you now
(listen, sonny boy
You just don't get it, do you)
I could hurt you now
(tell you what I'll do
I'll get that message to you)
Who taught me about building walls
One who could always turn it around
To leave me here on shaky ground
This is for the one who made good
In someone else's neighborhood
One who was never anything but
The shifty eye of sheer bad luck
Once I thought that I would never forget
And I have not quite done that yet
But I could hurt you now
I could hurt you now
This is for the time that I lost
The death of who I thought I was
The things in which I cannot believe
For fear I'll wear them on my sleeve
Things I know that will never be returned
But I crossed that bridge before it burned
So I could hurt you now
I could hurt you now
(listen, sonny boy
You just don't get it, do you)
I could hurt you now
(tell you what I'll do
I'll get that message to you)
Maybe it leaves an invisible scar
But I have not come quite that far
But I could hurt you now
(listen, sonny boy
You just don't get it, do you)
I could hurt you now
(tell you what I'll do
I'll get that message to you)
Lyrics submitted by alexandra_
I Could Hurt You Now Lyrics as written by Aimee Mann
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Looking at all the other lyrics, I've noticed how few people really do check out Aimee... she's so great though, how can you not love her?
In response to another message somewhere else, not ALL of her songs are depressing, she just is really expressive. Every good emotion is countered by a bad one (in my opinion) and vice versa.
Anyway, check out the verse "This is for the time that I lost, the death of who I thought I was.." Totally awesome!! Punk, emo, whatever the hell you wanna call yourself, Aimee's gotta be in there somewhere!!
I think the character in the lyrics has been wronged in the past and is now taking solace from the fact that they now have the potential to hurt the other party, even though they might not necessarily go ahead with it.
I'm not sure it's autobiographical, it could be fictitious, although there may be an element of personal experience lurking beneath the surface. This is one of my favourite Aimee Mann songs, really great hook, provocative lyrics and interesting production.
yeah right on bex. by the way did you work at Poko macready summer camp? i knew a bex there. anyways yeah, I don't know though about EVERY one of her good emotions countered by a bad one, I think that is pretty hard to determine. also I do wonder if she herself is depressed or was depressed and if so how she got through it. taht would be interesting to know. and yeah....no one posts about aimee mann, but in a way i kinda like that because i feel like my posts are important then. :)
okay I'm through being important, where is everyone:'(.
I'm here! Albeit 3 years later. Hey, I was BUSY!!!
I think she's angry in this song (I think that's true of many of Aimee's songs). When she says I Could Hurt You Now, you'd better not turn your back on her. It seems as if she's has trusted someone who let her down... no wait, more than that... they hurt her. Hurt her so deeply that she could turn violent on them. She put her trust in someone and they took advantage of it.
Oh wow........ Well great fucking lyrics. I'm a little iffy about the melody of the track, it's a little more rough/choppy for lack of a better word... than her other tracks (most of). And I don't get the impression she means a violent means of hurting the jerk... Just in the fact that she's stronger than she was and moving/moved on and the stupid fck is too blind to figure out how much he loves her and how important she was to him, and I'm pretty sure this is a little after the relationship ended, and he's missing her, whether he's figured that out yet or not, and the fact that she's moved on and such would be devasting to him...... or maybe it really is about physical violence and she's ready to stab the fcking miserable shit.... Which works equally for me.