Calm down
And get straight
It's in our eyes
It's how we operate

You're true
You are
I'd apologize but it won't go very far

Please come here
Come right on over
And when we collide we'll see what gets left over

A little joy
A little sorrow
And a little pride so we won't have to borrow
Wherever you lead, I'll follow

Turn me inside out and upside down
And try to see things my way
Turn a new page, tear the old one out
And I'll try to see things your way

Please come here
Please come on over
There is no line that you can't step right over
Without you well I'm left hollow
So can we decide to try a little joy tomorrow
'Cause baby tonight I'll follow

Turn me inside out and upside down
And try to see things my way
Turn a new page, tear the old one out
And I'll try to see things your way

The way that we've been speaking now
I swear that we'd be friends, I swear
'Cause all these little deals go down with
Little consequences, we share, we share

Turn me inside out and upside down
And try to see things my way
Turn a new page, tear the old one out
And I'll try to see things your way

And I'm gonna love you anyway
I try to see things your way
I try to see things your way
I try to see things your way
I try to see things your way


Lyrics submitted by snc8698

How We Operate Lyrics as written by Ian Thomas Ball Benjamin Joseph Ottewell

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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How We Operate song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment

    This is a great song. The first thing I noticed was the music, but it is actually a great love song. I mean "love" not of the butterflies and poetry sort, but the long-term, life-partner sort. It's pretty straight-forward I think, but really touching. In the beginning, I think he's done something hurtful. Not necessarily infidelity, but that's a good guess from the lyrics, especially, "You're true. You are. I'd apologize but it won't get very far." Basically, "You're true to me, but I wasn't true in return. What can I say? I've hurt you, what good will an apology do?" He is saying that as humans, we xxxx things up a lot. Sometimes we make terrible mistakes, and we made poor choices. It's part of our nature, it's what we do, it's HOW WE OPERATE. That's a pretty somber acknowledgement, but the song manages to have a positive message. The basic theme I get is that despite our flaws and weaknesses, we can still love each other. I especially love the lyric "When we collide, we'll see what gets left over." To me that says, let's put it all on the table. Reveal ourselves to each other and see what we can make of it. That's real love and intimacy to me. I also sense this with "There is no line that you can't step right over." He is telling her that she can be close to him and there's nothing they can't share. My absolute favorite line of all is "turn a new page, tear the old one out." That is a wonderful motto for relationships. Sometimes you have to let things go. You can't allow resentment and grievances from the past to poison you. He is offering to try to see things from her perspective. And he is letting her know that she can know him inside and out, and asking that she try to see where he is coming from as well. And last, yet another nugget of wisdom in " can we decide to try a little joy tomorrow?" So often, being happy or joyful really is nothing more than a state of mind or a choice. Instead of fighting and continuing to see the negative in each other, they can decide to be joyful for the love they share. Lovely.

    missjen5on December 23, 2006   Link

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