I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
They come from every state to find
Some dreams were meant to be declined
Tell the man what did you have in mind
What have you come to do?
No turning water into wine
No learning while you're in the line
I'll take you to the broken sign
You see these lights are blue
Come and get it
Lost it at the city limit
Say goodbye
'Cause they will find a way to trim it
Everybody
Lookin' for a silly gimmick
Gotta get away
Can't take it for another minute
This town is made of many things
Just look at what the current brings
So high, it's only promising
This place was made on you
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where do you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You're so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind
Some claim to have the fortitude
Too shrewd to blow the interlude
Sustaining pain to set a mood
Step out to be renewed
I'll move you like a baritone
Jungle brothers on the microphone
Getting over with an undertone
It's time to turn to stone
Chitty chitty, baby
When your nose is in the nitty gritty
Life could be a little sweet
But life could be a little shitty
What a pity
Boston and a Kansas city
Looking for a hundred
But you only ever found a fitty
Three fingers in the honeycomb
You ring just like a xylophone
Devoted to the chromosome
The day that you left home
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You're so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You're so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind
Some dreams were meant to be declined
Tell the man what did you have in mind
What have you come to do?
No turning water into wine
No learning while you're in the line
I'll take you to the broken sign
You see these lights are blue
Come and get it
Lost it at the city limit
Say goodbye
'Cause they will find a way to trim it
Everybody
Lookin' for a silly gimmick
Gotta get away
Can't take it for another minute
This town is made of many things
Just look at what the current brings
So high, it's only promising
This place was made on you
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where do you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You're so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind
Some claim to have the fortitude
Too shrewd to blow the interlude
Sustaining pain to set a mood
Step out to be renewed
I'll move you like a baritone
Jungle brothers on the microphone
Getting over with an undertone
It's time to turn to stone
Chitty chitty, baby
When your nose is in the nitty gritty
Life could be a little sweet
But life could be a little shitty
What a pity
Boston and a Kansas city
Looking for a hundred
But you only ever found a fitty
Three fingers in the honeycomb
You ring just like a xylophone
Devoted to the chromosome
The day that you left home
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You're so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
Tell me, lover, are you lonely?
The thing we need is
Never all that hard to find
Tell me, baby, what's your story
Where you come from
And where you wanna go this time?
You're so lovely, are you lonely?
Giving up on the innocence you left behind
Lyrics submitted by Quixoticelixir
Tell Me Baby Lyrics as written by John Anthony Frusciante Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs 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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Its about how lots of people travel to LA in order to make it big. People from all over the nation, in order to become a model, a huge magician, an actor, but sometimes they fail, and LA feeds on their positive optimism but also feeds on their sad failure...