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Now, Now Lyrics
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
I'm not the carpet you walk on
I'm not one small atomic bomb
I'm not anything at all
I'm not your yellow brick street
I'm not anyone you'll see
I'm not anything
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 your world on a string
I'm not anyone you'll beat
I'm not anything
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
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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".
Wow...I like the "rebel yell" argument. I never thought about it like that :)
Wow...I like the "rebel yell" argument. I never thought about it like that :)
When I first heard this song a couple years ago, I thought it was about some kind of horrific breakup. Maybe I was just in a depressed mood at the time, but I thought that Annie was singing about the transition from meaning everything to someone to meaning nothing at all. I think the tone of her singing adds to that. That's why she compares herself to such seemingly disconnected things. She's not the little things; his mother's pet, a feather, the carpet-- because...
When I first heard this song a couple years ago, I thought it was about some kind of horrific breakup. Maybe I was just in a depressed mood at the time, but I thought that Annie was singing about the transition from meaning everything to someone to meaning nothing at all. I think the tone of her singing adds to that. That's why she compares herself to such seemingly disconnected things. She's not the little things; his mother's pet, a feather, the carpet-- because this person has pushed her out of his life completely. She also isn't the yellow brick street or atomic bomb--even if she were to show anger or lash out, she still isn't "anything at all" to him.
I thought that the subject of the song said something particularly awful to her, which is why she says "you don't mean that, say you're sorry...I'll make you sorry," which I think is absolutely brilliant.
oh, st. vincent
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.
The way she repeats "any" makes it sound like "Annie." I think it's intentional (e.g. I'm not Annie, Annie, Annie, Annie...").
I laughed the first time I heard "I'm not Annie Annie Annie Anything". She never fails to surprise.
I laughed the first time I heard "I'm not Annie Annie Annie Anything". She never fails to surprise.
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)
also, you can hear when she says im not, it sounds like that same childish voice. she had probably started out as a kid and after someone called her something like worthless she would say "im not worthless!" although, lacking some of the confidence she has now. she's finally standing up for herself.
also, you can hear when she says im not, it sounds like that same childish voice. she had probably started out as a kid and after someone called her something like worthless she would say "im not worthless!" although, lacking some of the confidence she has now. she's finally standing up for herself.
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
' I'll make you sorry... ' I love this part!
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.
I'm not your world on a string
Real nice refreshing song- totally new and different in these times. St.Vincent has it.