I'm not your mother's favorite dog
I'm not the carpet you walk on
I'm not one small atomic bomb
I'm not anything at all

I'm not the feather at your feet
I'm not your yellow brick street
I'm not anyone you'll see
I'm not anything

Now, now now, now now, now

You don't mean that say you're sorry
You don't mean that say you're sorry
You don't mean that say you're sorry
You don't mean that I'll make you sorry

I'm not the pawn to your king
I'm not your world on a string
I'm not anyone you'll beat
I'm not anything

Now, now now, now now, now

You don't mean that say you're sorry
You don't mean that say you're sorry
You don't mean that say you're sorry
You don't mean that I'll make you sorry


Lyrics submitted by mistercrinkles

Now Now Lyrics as written by Anne Erin Clark

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Now, Now song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    Seems like an "I am woman, hear me roar" type of statement being made by the songwriter. Guess it could be aimed at a dominating husband/boyfriend, but I sort of lean towards it being a rebel yell at an overbearing mother. The "your mother's favorite dog" and "pawn to your king" might suggest the former, but a few things about the chorus suggest to me that the latter is more likely. The turns-of-phrase like "you don't mean that, say you're sorry", "I'll make you sorry", and the title phase "Now, now" are slightly antiquated, and the sing-song way they are delivered certainly suggest a parent-child interaction. I suppose a 3rd possibility is that its aimed at both.

    As th0rn points out, probably the most clever part of the song is the "I'm not anything". Definitely a play on Annie Clark's first name, and perfectly fits the song's vibe. "I'm not your 'Annie, Annie, Annie, Annie' thing". On one level, a declaration that the singer is tired of being objectified and treated as an object instead of a person. On another, the delivery of the "Annie, Annie, Annie, Annie" strongly suggests mocking mimicry of singer's intended target. If you see it aimed at an overbearing mother, it could me mimicking constant nagging. However, ff you see the song as aimed at a spouse/boyfriend, it could be a mocking of the fellow in question during the throes of passion which would change the meaning of the line slightly to something more like "I'm not your plastic love doll".

    sweetmonkeyluvon March 16, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    oh, st. vincent

    bonsoiron August 02, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    To me, it feels like it's about how you feel when people try to put you in a box or tell you who you are.

    copperboomon May 26, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The way she repeats "any" makes it sound like "Annie." I think it's intentional (e.g. I'm not Annie, Annie, Annie, Annie...").

    Th0rnon December 31, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    imo, i think this song is about a girl who has always been stepped on and she is shy. she's finally coming out and saying that she's significant. saying she's not the carpet you walk on etc (esp. im not anyone you'll see) she's deciding to change herself and throw away her past self (im not annie annie annie..)her repeating now now now may be her changing herself and living now in her new life. the part where she repeats 'you don't mean that, say you're sorry' sounds kind of childish, so maybe she said that as a young child as she pathetically tried to make people stop taking her for granted or teasing her and then the last line is what she's saying now like, ill actually do something about it (ill make you sorry you ever messed with me)

    graycenon January 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    you dont mean that say youre sorry you dont mean that say youre sorry you dont mean that SAY YOU'RE SORRY you dont mean that

    Reddiffson November 04, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ' I'll make you sorry... ' I love this part!

    Martha_headon April 18, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    To me, it feels like it's about how you feel when people try to put you in a box or tell you who you are.

    copperboomon May 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm not your world on a string

    wereTHRIVINGon July 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Real nice refreshing song- totally new and different in these times. St.Vincent has it.

    Soaron January 02, 2009   Link

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