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.
I hear you on the radio
You permeate my screen, it's unkind
But if I met you in a scissor fight
I'd cut off both your wings on principle alone
Principle alone
Hey, megalomaniac
You're no Jesus, yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
And step down, step down, step down
Ooh
If I were your appendages
I'd hold open your eyes so you would see
That all of us are heaven-sent
And there was never meant to be only one
To be only one
Hey, megalomaniac
You're no Jesus, yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
And step down, step down, step down
Step down, step down, oh, step down
Ooh, ooh, do-do-do-do-do
You're, you're, you're
You're no Jesus
You're no Elvis
You're no Jesus
You're no Jesus
You're no Elvis
You're no answer, ooh
Step down, step down, step down
Step down, hey, hey
Hey, megalomaniac
You're no Jesus, yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
And step down, step, step down
Step down, oh, step down
Oh, step down
Step down
You permeate my screen, it's unkind
But if I met you in a scissor fight
I'd cut off both your wings on principle alone
Principle alone
Hey, megalomaniac
You're no Jesus, yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
And step down, step down, step down
Ooh
If I were your appendages
I'd hold open your eyes so you would see
That all of us are heaven-sent
And there was never meant to be only one
To be only one
Hey, megalomaniac
You're no Jesus, yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
And step down, step down, step down
Step down, step down, oh, step down
Ooh, ooh, do-do-do-do-do
You're, you're, you're
You're no Jesus
You're no Elvis
You're no Jesus
You're no Jesus
You're no Elvis
You're no answer, ooh
Step down, step down, step down
Step down, hey, hey
Hey, megalomaniac
You're no Jesus, yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself, baby
And step down, step, step down
Step down, oh, step down
Oh, step down
Step down
Lyrics submitted by prayingmantis84
Megalomaniac Lyrics as written by Brandon Charles Boyd Benjamin Lee Kenney
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I don't think that Boyd makes reference to Elvis and Jesus because they thought they were something they're not, I think it's because the "megalomaniac" being mentioned in the song think's he's a king such as Elvis (King of Rock and Roll) or Jesus (King of Kings). It's kind of like a srcastic question, y'know, like "Oh, you think you're king? What do you think you're Jesus or Elvis or something?" He uses these two figures because they're pretty easy allusions for most people to recognize. Everybody who would hear this song would have heard of Elvis and Jesus.