Carmen I don't know I don't know I don't know if I can go back
Carmen I'll never be never be never be the same again
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
The way you set the table
The way you lean to tell me something soft
The way I can see into you
The way you tell me I talk too much about myself
It's true I talk too much about myself
But right now all I want to talk about is you now
Carmen I don't know I don't know I don't know if I can go back
Carmen I'll never be never be never be the same again
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
I love the way you think
Is it biological or all the acid
You've eaten
Just take me into your body
I want to be drunk I want to be high
I want to be drunk I want to be high on you
Carmen, I don't know I don't know I don't know if I can go back
Carmen I'll never be never be never be the same again
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
Carmen
I don't know I don't know I don't know
I don't know I don't know I don't know
If I can go go go go go go go go back home
I don't know I don't know I don't know
I don't know I don't know I don't know
If I can be seen again


Lyrics submitted by xemotasticax

Carmen Lyrics as written by Paula Cole

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Carmen song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +1
    My Interpretation

    If we look at the title name of the song, we can’t really examine that this name as just any woman, but of Carmen - the femme fatale main character of Bizet’s Opera of the same name.

    Carmen was a gypsy seductress. She seduced a man, José, who she later left for someone else. I believe this song may be in the perspective of José.

    He is so enamored and infatuated with her. He says he cannot go back (he was still in a relationship with his childhood sweetheart).

    This song really speaks to the male gaze and some men’s readiness to abandon the women already in their lives. It’s quite ironic in the play by Bizet because José’s infidelity resulted in Carmen rejecting him anyway. José kills Carmen as a result.

    [Edit: Spelling]
    tomicaloveron June 24, 2023   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    This sounds like it's written from a male perspective, since "Carmen" is a female name and this really seems to be a love song more than about friendship or sororal feelings. Also, "Just take me into your body" could be interpreted as what a guy wants to do with a girl.... I'm probably taking that part the wrong way, though.

    HiOnMusicon April 19, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    OR it very likely is and could be two women that have an incredibly intimate relationship that is bordering or perhaps delving into sexual. It almost certainly is not written from a man's perspective either. “I don’t know, I don’t know…if I can go back” As in go back to a heterosexual relationship again. To me this is the story of a weekend or visit with a good friend that became sexual and intimate and became a relationship of a different kind. The narrator is probably not homosexual nor bi and she hasn’t really considered the possibility but when she gets together with Carmen she is overcome by the intensity of the feelings and the sex and realizes she’ll “…never be, never be, never be the same again.” As my wife says, "…no sane person in our homophobic world wishes another person all the headaches that come with a relationship that is almost criminal in some parts of our country..." but it is biological and if you find warmth and friendship and most importantly love from being with another human being that is of the same sex...WHY THE HELL NOT!

    Splerbon April 09, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    Pretty sure this song is about a lesbian relationship; "Carmen" is a female name, a lot of the affectionate lines are about stereotypical feminine things, and the singer herself is fairly progressive. There's no reason to think it's from a male perspective, and it depicts an overtly sexual relationship.

    HypatiaCloneon December 01, 2017   Link

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