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I'm Not What You Need song meanings
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    My Interpretation

    She is the violent, unpredictable ocean... He's the one on the boat that's sinking because of her "storm." It's an analogy.

    He wants her, but he's only day dreaming. He knows that what she wants, and he can never be that person for her. She is " a pleasant fictional" to him in that sense.

    He wants to run away with her, wants to be with her, as in forever.

    But he's "not what she needs"... She's stronger, and staying with him might take "the light her in her eyes"--knowing Joe Purdy, this probably means "light" is happiness and freedom.

    The last lyric that isn't mentioned here is: "I guess I'll dream that you're here to keep me warm, keep me warm".

    He's day dreaming of something fictional that he can never have... And feels very lonely about it. " You can love what's left of this lonely excuse of a man" means he somehow regrets being this way (Depression?), so all he can do is day dream.

    Too bad he doesn't release she's not what HE needs...

    Banana101on July 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The second line of the chorus is misheard, I believe.

    ALONE, YOU'RE so much stronger

    It makes more sense this way. He is telling her that, as much as he may want her (or as much as they may want each other), the truth is - she is stronger without him, he is not what she needs.

    stihionon January 21, 2015   Link

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