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Round & Round Lyrics

I just can't help thinking
What you've done to me
You built a wall of love and tore it right down
In front of me
And you think you know what's going on
You keep telling me that I am wrong
I don't care about what you do
'Cause if you mess with me I'll get rid of you

The picture you see is no portrait of me
It's too real to be shown to someone I don't know
And it's driving me wild
It makes me act like a child

You think I am crazy, but what can I do
You waste your time, like my money
It ain't so funny, but it's true
(Don't waste my money, baby)
Now you can't tell me what's going on
And that I am weak while you are strong
What is it you need, that makes your heart bleed
Do you really know? 'Cause it doesn't show

The picture you see is no portrait of me
It's too real to be shown to someone I don't know
And it's driving me wild
It makes me act like a child

The picture you see is no portrait of me
It's too real to be shown to someone I don't know
And it's driving me wild
It makes me act like a child
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8 Meanings

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Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

I LOVE THIS SONG!! It's THE song to listen to post-breakup. It's about not being taken advantage of anymore and realizing you're more worth it than to stay in a relationship where the other person only hurts you.

Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

The song is apparently about the deteriorating relationship between Bernard and manager Tony Wilson.

Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

In 24 Hour Party People the Tony Wilson character claims that all the punters at the Hacienda were tripping on E so the bar basically made no money. Makes sense even if the film is a fictionalisation.

And yeah, even if Tony Wilson wasn't a great businessman, he was a great supporter of incredible art, Bless his soul.

Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

Oh yeah, and it's a bloody good song. Reminds me of Bizarre Love Triangle somewhat in style.

Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

Oldironside is right, apparentlyu but the Tony Wilson is the boss of Factory records, not New Order's manager. he was ploughing loads of money into the hacienda nightclub at the time and it was making no money back. he was always more interested in creating amazing things rathr than making money and didn't mind who's cash was going into the project. still, a hero that left a real legacy. RIP.

Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

An unreferenced meaning given on the wikipedia page for this song says it is about the deteriorating relationship between the band and Anthony H Wilson, one of the owners, and key figure in Factory Records, New Order's long time label.

This was partly to do with the massive losses that The Hacienda -the club owned by the band and label, was making, which were mostly paid for by the income generated by the band.

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Song Meaning
Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

In New Order's "Round and Round"'s club frenzy edifys us about internal madness. Doubts, vexations and depression swirl round and round in a cerebral jungle. The innocent has been cruelly gaslighted and left to piece together how someone could be capable of such callousness. ["Now you can't tell me what's going on/And that I am weak while you are strong/ What is it you need, that makes your heart bleed/Do you really know? 'Cause it doesn't show."] "What is it you need?" predates the "How much do you need?" from Music Complete's soaring "Restless". The people who chase material wealth are curiosities and vexing to New Order. Technique's previous song "Loveless" has the longing wondering line about working a lifetime for someone and them not even caring. This treatment can rip the innards out of you and New Order's song captures the mental state that goes along with that. [The picture you see is no portrait of me. It's too real to be shown to someone I don't know. And it's driving me wild. It makes me act like a child] Some of the great lines ever highlighting the maddening effects of cruelty. Back to square one, back to being a "child" and acting out. You thought you were all grown up and mature. A cruel person/act slices and cuts you down just like that. "Round and Round"'s madness is similar to "Mr. Disco"'s search through the club as "Loveless" longing and plangency parallel "Run". The high-pitched left ear right ear back-n-forth go-gos, fluttering rimshots, synth stabs, booming bounce and compression all swirl to give "Round & Round" the image of a person's brain all-consumed with millions of pinballing criss-crossing questions and vexations. A masterpiece song!

My Interpretation
Cover art for Round & Round lyrics by New Order

This song was really popular when I was a teenager. Love this song & New Order. Everyone interprets lyrics differently, most of the time to fit their personal situations. IMO it sounds like a post ~ breakup song.