Hospital Lyrics
Let me back into your life
I can’t stand what you do
I’m in love with your eyes
And when you get out of the dating bar
I’ll be here to get back into your life
I can’t stand what you do
I’m in love with your eyes
Sometimes I can’t stand you
And it makes me think about me
That I’m involved with you
But I’m in love with this power
That shows through in your eyes
There’s a lack of sweetness in my life
And there is pain inside
You can see it in my eyes
You can see it in my eyes
And it makes me think about me
That I’ve lost my pride
But I’m in love with this power
That resides in your eyes
Well I even got scared once or twice
Last time I walked down your street
There were tears in my eyes
We all know
They help us cry
When we’re alone late at night
Don’t you love them too,
That where you got your eyes
Sometimes I can’t stand you
And it makes me think about me
How I’m involved with you
But I’m in love with this power
That shows through in your eyes
I’ll take the subway to your suburb sometime
I’ll seek out the things that must’ve been magic to your little girl mind
Now as a little girl you must’ve been magic
I still get jealous of your old boyfriends in the suburbs sometimes
And when I walk down your street
There’ll probably be tears in my eyes
(I knew it would happen)
Sometimes I can’t stand you
And it makes me think about me
That I’m involved with you
But I’m in love with this power
That shows through in your eyes
Let me back into your life
I can’t stand what you do,
But I’m in love with your eyes.
to me, this song sounds kind of creepy and infatuated. lines like "when you get out of the dating bar, i'll be here to get back into your life" suggest that this girl is looking for someone else.
all the stuff about tears in his eyes and lack of sweetness in his life are just fine, angsty additions.
what i really don't understand is the part about her being in the hospital. i wish there were more discussion on this strange song.
For years I assumed this song was about a guy who was in love with a woman who was much richer and socially elevated than he was, and that she was in the hospital for some sort of mental breakdown or even a suicide attempt.
But thinking of it now in a more modern, less naive, context the narrator seems more like a stalker. “Let me back into your life”? Does he follow this woman around both loving and hating her? Did he do something to her that resulted in her hospitalization? Did he injure her?
I don’t know - probably I’m way off - seems a little dark for Jonathan Richman.
Beautiful song. Best on the album ,methinks.
yeah its great. someone told me its about a prostitute, that's why he says he can't stand what she does. i wonder.
it's about jewish princesses, as Richman says in a live version of this song.