Spoon – Written in Reverse

I'm writing this to you in reverse
Someone better call a hearse
I can see it all from here
From just a few glimpses
Now that lightbulb's gone off
And it's pulling my wince
And now the lightbulb's gone off
I've seen it in your eyes
I've seen you blankly stare
And I wanna show you how I love you
But there's nothing there

I'm not standin' here!
Oh I'm not standin' here!
And I'm writing in reverse
I know it could be worse
I'm not standing here, I'm not standing here
(I'm not standing here, I'm not standing here)
(And I'm writing in reverse, I know it could be worse)
And I hear that famous song
And I hear that can't be wrong

No nothin' was planned
You just can't help yourself
Some people are so easily shuffled and dealt
If there's only one of us you truly felt
We're gettin' you raw
And it feels real good
Although only briefly
Like high school poppers would
Will you lose a bit of yourself?
Will you lose a bit of yourself?

I'm not standin' here!
Oh I'm not standin' here!
And I'm writing in reverse
I know it could be worse
I hear that famous song
And I hear that can't be wrong

All I know, is all I know,
Yes, all I know, is all I know
Is all I know

I'm writing this to you in reverse
Someone better call a hearse (woo! )
I can see it all from here
From just a few glimpses
Now that lightbulb's gone off
And it's pulling my wince
And now the lightbulb's gone off
I've seen it in your eyes
And there's nothing there
There's nothing there
I wanna show you how I love you
I can see you blankly stare


Lyrics submitted by ericzzz

"Written In Reverse" as written by Britt Daniel

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Written in Reverse song meanings
Add your thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General CommentI like this new song a whole lot. I like the syncopated piano, the chorus and lyrics, but I haven't heard it enough to "get it" yet.

    I think the first two lines are really witty: I'm writting this to you in reverse/Somebody better call a herse

    I guess, to me, right now, it's about death, either the physical death of the singer "the lightbulb" being his lifeforce or the symbolic death of a love with the lightbulb being the love-light. But Hell, I don't know, I'm just getting aquainted with this song.
    LoserNo1on February 01, 2010   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General CommentWhat the fuck is this song about?

    ...Seriously...
    CORPSErawron March 11, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Commentit´s about Britt and me.
    blanklyon March 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General CommentUh, guys, it's written in reverse. It makes more sense if the lines are read in reverse order.
    padfoot7726on July 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI also read elsewhere that it's literally written in reverse, but it actually makes less sense to me that way.
    midkayon August 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General CommentFirst, here's a powerful song...partly 'cause it's ambiguous. It's a cliched interpretation but, it's hard not to see it as about the end of a relationship "hearse", light bulb going off and on. He's confused by the death of what he thought was a sure thing; betrayed 'cause he was left for another guy
    jtn191on September 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General CommentTo me the song is about losing a girl to another man. It becomes easy for him to see that he is losing her by her change in behavior. He still loves her but she does not feel the same so nothing is there. He knows she did not plan to leave him but it still hurts. It seems like the girl in the song lacks concern for the feelings of the author. She does not have the will power to control the temptation of being with the other guy. I agree with jtn191, the hearse line is signifying the end of the relationship. Possibly the line of "I'm not standing here," means that he is not going to waste his time with the girl any longer.
    michaelscarnon December 14, 2010   Link

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!

Back to top