Doughnut Song

this song, to me, is about the ex boyfriend, or whatever to her, and how in the end he turns as says he has another girl that is devoted to him, and how he doesn't need her anyway....and she's saying how she's silly to have loved or hung onto him for soo long beautiful way with the piano....the way the music and words take each other to a different place...beautiful

i see a lot of complex emotions in this song, and a progression from hurt, despair and rejection to anger and strength. '...cotton to steel, to hinge that is faltered'. soft to hard hearted (at least trying to), but gives way to this man against her better judgement. also about ex lovers being friends, but one still in love whilst the other has moved on. this song always spoke to me the most when i started to move on from a relationship, but that horrible moment of loving and hating at the same time

This is one of my most favorite songs due to its outstanding lyrics. The song itself deals with some powerful and complex emotions, but what makes this song so wonderful is its use of similarly powerful and complex metaphors, which seem to perfectly describe the feeling of the singer.

The phrase "you'll never gain weight from a doughnut hole" could be taken as a message and warning both to the listener and to the person tori is singing about (presumably an ex). A message about never being able to be fulfilled if all you seek is something that may seem fulfulling (doughnut) but is actually empty (hole).

The second verse has a poignant line "blood can be pretty", here i interpret this as her depression, thoughts of perhaps suicide. Here you could almost visualize her thinking about cutting her wrists and watching the blood drip out, thinking to herself how that death could a welcome release from her anguish.

Also in the second verse seems to talk a little bit about the ex, perhaps alluding that he has a hard exterior but inside he is just as delicate as she is, perhaps why she felt such a strong feeling for him in the first place.

The third verse is my favorite. "You were a sun now, with your own devoted satellite". While its obvious he's already found someone else, she describes him as being a sun having a satellite. Two things to note, her describe him as a sun, can be reflected as him shining and happy as if perhaps she never really affected him at all. Secondly, him being a sun has a satellite, which revolves around him. This setup suggests he is egotistical and perhaps selfish, and that this new person has their life revolving around him.

"Happy for you now, and i sure that i hate you" the of the best line ever for anyone who's ever had to deal with finding out someone special they use to be with is with someone else.

The last phrase adds some religous context and provides a wonderful impression about her anger and hate referring to the story of cain and able. Two sons too many while referring to cain and able, could also be taken to mean the feelings she's had for him which have turn to too many sadness, anger, and hate.

Its interesting to note the progression of the chorus as well. The beginning of the chorus we hear her say "Maybe you never learned to take", but later on she say "I think you never learned to take" A subtle yet powerful distinction where the first statement is questioning. It feels as if she's confused at this point, and trying to make sense of everything. Questions also indicate maybe she feels partly to blame how things fell apart. Whereas the latter statement as much more a of harsh tone, here we she make a statement instead of a question. Here she now feel anger and places the blame on him, and his actions.

One last thing to note is that i felt a small amount of irony in the lyrics. The very first few lines describe being used, tossed away and being given either literally or figuratively a cryptic message from the guy. Yet the song itself, talks largely in metaphors itself, as if almost she's giving a message back to the guy, a both about her pain, and her observations and warning about how his actions and consequences.

And if I'm wasting all your time This time Maybe you never learned to take And if I'm hanging on to your shade I guess I'm way beyond the pale

She was just as devoted as his new satellite, but he never learned to take what she gave him. He didn't see what she was giving and thinks she was a waste of time. But, she's still hanging on in his shade

Definitely about an ex-boyfriend, boasting about his new lover: "You told me last night you were a sun now with your very ownd evoted satellite"... It's about how she still loves him but also hates him: "Happy for you, and I am sure that I hate you" (what an amazing loine) It's anout the complex feelings that come with a break-up, I can sense a lot of sadness & anger in it.

This is not a song about an ex. Its a tragic story of unrequited love and it is on going, so I have been told . And is it possible that Tori may have cleverly hidden the name of her man in the title?

I can't believe nobody has commented on this song, it's beautiful. Tori definitely has a way with the piano.

I agree with kimidragon. This is such a beautiful song. My favourite line is

"You'll never gain weight from a doughnut hole"

I don't consider this song as the song about him finding someone else. When she sings about "your own devoted satellite", the way I see it is that he tells her that she's very dependent upon him. She has become his devoted satellite (hanging onto his shade); she has given him so much, which he has never learned to appreciate. He thinks that the world revolves around him (the sun). Now she says that he, instead, has wasted her time, and that she becomes to realizes that enough is enough (I guess I am way beyond the pale). You never gain weight from a doughnut hole means that their relationship is unproductive and useless, in my opinion.

I totally agree with wastefulnot. It's not about a guy cheating on her with another woman, but instead about her partner's apathy towards her and/or their relationship. Worse than his apathy is that he knows she cares so deeply for him; he even articulates it - calling her a satellite! - while they're laying in bed (I imagine it's in bed b/c she says "you told me last night", but that could be a leap...). How cold can you get? What a narcissist! That's even worse than cheating on someone, in my opinion. Also, doughnut hole might me that his heart wasn't in the relationship from the start.