Ooh, baby
You couldn't've done a worse thing to me
If you'd taken an arrow and run it right through me
Ooh

Ooh baby, a bird in the hand is worth two flyin'
When it came to love
I'd knew you'd be lyin'
It could've been a finer thing
Would've been a major attraction
With no other thing, offerin' a note of distraction
Come on, get up, get underway and bring your love

Ooh baby
You wouldn't've found a more down hero
If you'd started at nothin' and counted to zero

(Ooh-ooh-ooh)

Ooh baby
You couldn't've done a worse thing to me
If you'd taken an arrow and run it right through me
I could've been a finer thing
Flyin' in a righter direction
With no other thing
Featuring but love and affection
Come on, get up, get underway and bring your love

Ooh baby
You wouldn't've found a more down hero
If you'd started at nothin', counted to zero


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings

Arrow Through Me Lyrics as written by Paul Mccartney

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Arrow Through Me song meanings
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  • +1
    My Interpretation

    This is an absolute killer track. Perhaps the lyrics are obvious but I will give my interpretation regardless.

    It's a love triangle.

    The protagonist has been developing a relationship with someone for a little while but suddenly that relationship has come to an abrupt end. This is most likely caused by another man (or women) in the picture, the 'distraction'. The new distraction may only be being pursued at this stage and as such the protagonist claims that it is better to keep what you have than to risk it all on some new venture.

    An arrow through can mean that he's been shot down and it hurts. Though not necessarily as drastic as heart broken, as it seems like it's still an early days relationship. This is backed up by his somewhat desperate love letter style claims of how she couldn't have met a more down to earth, honest and caring guy then he is - so, with time, it could have developed into a 'finer thing' than it had been or that she's getting into now, with someone new.

    Songtingmeanson December 22, 2017   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Paul Mcartney could not have a more down hero if he had put an arrow right thru himself in this song also I did buy this Album BACK TO THE EGG a vinyl record which I still have but not the Montgomery wards stero system for 199 US in 1979 for an xmas presy so I guess I have the right to read or view the lyrics on song meanings if this web site not app is working...how about FREE lyrics for all 1M or 1 Million Artists that have made songs contact Lyric Find CA of Canada via CA erg Gracenote of emery villa CA USA put it on Songmeanings ALL of the Lyrics with LyricFind and the 4000 publishers MAKE Songmeanings an APP and take it over for you enjoyment see Apple Tim Cook and Songmeanings is and usdto b great for SONG MEANings or writing your opinion interpretation or insight to a beautiful song like Paul Mcartneys Arrow Right Through thru or threw me ;# /dlg now I only listen to 2 or two POST past or after Beatles BREAK up songs after 1970

    davewav1on February 02, 2018   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    definitely it's not a primitive "romantic love" theme. you can see Paul with his wife Linda performing in the video-clip of the song. with Linda very obviously knowing what they are doing and the grounds of the song.

    and it's very clearly distincly seen Paul possesses very natural energy force for this song - singing from his own painful life experience. it's not a kind of "actor in a story" case. in addition to that we've seen how poor actor Paul is haha (if you haven't seen any, please check the shakespear performance).

    knowing the background of mc-lennon throwing songs back and forth to each other, it's not very hard to come up with the possibility this one was meant for John. Paul expressed his deep understanding John wrote the song "jealous guy" for him. we all know how John was at times insensitive to other people's fragile feelings. John just did what he did without much preoccupation of how it may hurt others. and also, it was not a secret Paul was kind of "in love" with John. they always competed with each other, but also loved each other too. especially Paul envied Stu and others (Yoko) for John's attention.

    nuogatiesaon December 18, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree that I think this song is about John Lennon. After having met with John and Yoko (with Linda), McCartney showed up the next day with guitar in hand. He was turned away from John. John told him that it was not 1957 any more and he couldn't show up without ringing first. I think Paul was hurt by this. He wrote this song but like John, he could muddle it up to make its meaning vague.
    The song does not fit a normal romantic relationship because a betrayal usually ends in the death of the relationship. The song encourages its muse to "get up, get underway and bring your love." It fits more with a deeper friendship with lots of history.
    I always wondered for many years about this track and would have asked Paul himself if I ever had the chance. It is just an unusual subject matter for McCartney to write about. It is deep in its message and elusive to being honed as a secret message intended for one pair of ears.

    Robertj64on May 16, 2020   Link

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