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.
The girl in the chair with the long golden hair
Well that used to be me
A flirtatious smile unpredictably wild
Always trying to please
I was always walking one step ahead
Or so I thought until the monster crawled into my bed
Rewind and erase that shock look on your face 'cause your Mona Lisa is dead
A million words a thousand days
The girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
The sun likes to rise and the moon likes to fall
And that's kinda like my life
I've played the role of the nice girl next door who gets cut like a knife
Now I'm not looking for apology eyes
And I don't want to spend a night on a bed of beautiful lies
Erase and rewind leave that sick girl behind and fast forward, fast forward
A thousand days
The girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
That's not me, it's just not me
That's not me
The girl that I, the girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
The girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
Well that used to be me
A flirtatious smile unpredictably wild
Always trying to please
I was always walking one step ahead
Or so I thought until the monster crawled into my bed
Rewind and erase that shock look on your face 'cause your Mona Lisa is dead
A million words a thousand days
The girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
The sun likes to rise and the moon likes to fall
And that's kinda like my life
I've played the role of the nice girl next door who gets cut like a knife
Now I'm not looking for apology eyes
And I don't want to spend a night on a bed of beautiful lies
Erase and rewind leave that sick girl behind and fast forward, fast forward
A thousand days
The girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
That's not me, it's just not me
That's not me
The girl that I, the girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
The girl I used to be has a terrible case of mistaken identity
And yesterday's girl is not what you see
It's a terrible case of mistaken identity
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Obviously this about how she's changed because she's had cancer.
I'm not looking for apology eyes And I don't wanna spend a night on a bed of beautiful ice The breeze tells me why leave that sick all behind Fast forward, fast forward a thousand days
That line, shouldn't it be I'm not looking for apology eyes And I don't wanna spend a night on a bed of beautiful lies Freeze and rewind, leave the sick girl behind Fast forward, fast forward a thousand days
it just sounds like that when you listen to it
Taken from Delta’s track by track commentary on bonus DVD, Delta Goodrem – Mistaken Identity, Sony Music (Australia), 2004.
“was such a defining moment for the album… say somebody who’s had a really outrageous pastime or they’ve been really out there and had a partying life and now they’re like, they’re working somewhere where they don’t want to think about that they can say well, it’s a terrible case of mistaken identity because I’ve really moved on.”
its me because every one thought i was something else and i shocked them.
Wow, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see that at all, and like other artists, (perhaps I am projecting here, which is why I said -- correct me if I'm wrong) but there's not a whole lot written about Delta or her past. But this song is far more dark than it appears.
There are indeed two interpretations here.
If you look at it from the flip-side, she's longing for who she used to be. The innocence and the frivolity and the freedom. Something has changed, something has wrenched it away from her, and while I won't paint a further picture, I'll say that lyrics have it. Self-explanatory.
On the other side, she doesn't want to be looked upon as a victim because she's moving beyond that. Don't only see her for what she's endured; that's not who she is. Maybe the girl she used to be is truly gone, changed with time, but the woman in her place is stronger, so she's not asking for sympathy.
Again, I could be wrong, but this song is far darker than its given explanation. To me, it seems a song of accepting the past, moving on, and healing as best as you can.
this is about delta as how she was perceived (the girl in the chair with the long golden hair), but she's not as she was before, probably meaning less naive because of the cancer.
I just realised something in the lyrics. At first I didn't know what it meant but it could mean this.
Rewind and erase that shocked look on your face 'Cause your Mona Lisa is dead
This could mean that probably Delta is always compared to Mona Lisa for her long hair. But also it could mean that this Mona Lisa masterpiece is here forever and she has long hair and everyone is shocked because of Delta's cancer treatment, all her long hair had to be cut off. Just a thought!