Excuse me, but can I be you for a while?
My dog won't bite if you sit real still
I got the Anti-Christ in the kitchen yellin' at me again
Yeah, I can hear that
Been saved again by the garbage truck
I got something to say, you know, but nothing comes
Yes, I know what you think of me, you never shut up
Yeah, I can hear that

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of his with her name still on it
Hey, but I don't care
'Cause sometimes, I said sometimes I hear my voice
And it's been here silent all these years

So you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts
What's so amazing about really deep thoughts?
Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon
How's that thought for you
My scream got lost in a paper cup
You think there's a heaven where some screams have gone
I got twenty-five bucks an' a cracker
Do you think it's enough to get us there

'Cause what if I'm a mermaid,
In these jeans of his with her name still on it
Hey, but I don't care
'Cause sometimes, I said sometimes I hear my voice
And it's been here silent all these

Years go by, will I still be waiting
For somebody else to understand
Years go by, if I'm stripped of my beauty
And the orange clouds raining in my head
Years go by, will I choke on my tears
'Til, finally there is nothing left
One more casualty, you know we're too easy, easy, easy

Well, I love the way we communicate
Your eyes focus on my funny lip shape
Let's hear what you think of me now
But, baby, don't look up, the sky is falling
Your mother shows up in a nasty dress
Hmm, it's your turn now to stand where I stand
Everybody lookin' at you, here taken hold of my hand
Yeah, I can hear them

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of yours with her name still on it
Hey, but I don't care
'Cause sometimes, I said sometimes I hear my voice
I hear my voice, I hear my voice, and it's been here
Silent all these years
I've been here
Silent all these years
Silent all these
Silent all these years


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Silent All These Years Lyrics as written by Tori Amos

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

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Silent All These Years song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    This is a song about the cycle of abuse. a mermaid in a pair of jeans is counter-productive. These jeans of "his" with "her name" still on it - we see his mother referenced at the end of the song - it's clear the mother makes the boyfriend feel the way he is treating his girlfriend "mother shows up in a nasty dress... now you stand where i stand - the jeans are a metaphor for abuse - smothering the beauty and the wonderment of the 'mermaid" . There is a lot going on in this song. The dog has witnessed the abuse and has become violent, the girl gets saved from verbal abuse when the garbage truck arrives (an antithetical hero) at one point, she indicates that she may be pregnant. Makes references to heaven and has 25 bucks "is it enough to get us there" possibly having an abortion, sending the baby up to heaven and ending the cycle of abuse. toward the end of the song, she begins to speak not to the listener but to the boyfriend - one more casualty, you know we're too easy... the baby in question, the girl and the boyfriend are all casualties of circumstance - the sky is falling - the boyfriend is being made aware but she pities him the way she pities herself.

    tannerwilsonon December 12, 2010   Link

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