Carried Away

Overall, this song is about a man and a woman whom fight frequently and are in a complicated relationship. Overall, they just want to avoid fighting and pretend to be friends, overlooking all their issues, but they keep getting "carried away". This is an analysis of the entire song, part by part:

"Since my heart is golden, I've got sense to hold in Tempted just to make an ugly scene No I'm not as proper; my money's in copper Ripped down from the brownstones to the street"

Here, he starts off by saying "my heart is golden, so I have sense to hold in". This means he wants to be civil, so he's not going to fight and he will hold back. Then he pulls a 180, and states "no I'm not as proper, my money's in copper". This implies his heart isn't really made of gold, but copper, a far cheaper metal (pennies are made from copper), therefore he doesn't hold back on fights and he's not as civil.

"Listen, I'm your friend, don't quote me, but not a friend worth noting. Yes, please don't ever note me as your friend Who says we have cold hearts? Acting out our old parts, let's preform my favorite little scene"

Here, he states he is indeed her friend, but she shouldn't ever tell anyone that. He questions who thinks they have cold hearts, or who thinks they're mean, then follows up by saying "let's preform my favorite little scene". He's saying nobody has to know we hate each other; their "old parts" are friends, and by preforming their old parts they are pretending to be friends. This will have more meaning later in the song.

"Oh, European, once again with feeling. Higher education making sense? Justify your thesis, certain that you need this. Tell me what your point is in defense."

This is a sample of a fight between the man and woman. Obviously, she uses her higher education (college degree) in defense for being smarter than the man, and he simply states he's heard it all before and mocks her by saying she doesn't need it. There is no further meaning; the artist probably included it in the song so the listener could get more a feel for their situation. Also, there is an overall theme in the song of a play; "once again with feeling" is a line directors use. Earlier on he also references acting and preforming a their scene.

"Listen, I don't really know you, and I don't think I want to. But I think I can fake it if you can Let's agree there's no need, no more talk of money Let's just keep pretending to be friends"

The first line of this section could be easily misinterpreted. Him stating "I don't really know you" implies she is a stranger, which she obviously is not considering how they've talked (and fought) before. This line refers to a situational phrase used when in fights; "you're acting like a person I don't even know". This is confirmed when he says "and I don't think I want to", where he basically says "I don't like this side of you". Then he says "I think I can fake it if you can", meaning he can overlook it if she can and they can just pretend to be friends. He tries to stop the fighting by saying there is no need to discuss money. Money is, indeed, a massive source of conflict in any society or relationship. Then comes the line that captures the entire theme of the song, "Let's just keep pretending to be friends."

"Wake up in the morning, wake up in the evening Wake up when you want to. 'Cause no one's really watching Or else you'd something to say about it. But we all have problems We're all having problems And we all got something to say."

Here he mocks the woman for not having a man living with her. He says she can wake up whenever she wants because nobody is watching, and she lives alone. He knows this is true, because if she had someone living with her she would hold it against him. Then, he kind of takes it back by saying "but we all have problems". This section represents their mixed emotions for each other, as he starts off by bashing her, then turns it around and states that he too has problems, as does everybody else.

• • • • • AND FINALLY... - - - - -

"I get carried away, carried away, from you And I'm hoping and praying, 'Cause I'm sorry, sorry 'bout that Sorry 'bout things that I've said Always let it get to my head."

First off, "carried away" means "to make very emotional". An appropriate name for the song, this term represents the wavering emotions experienced from fighting with each other. This section of the song is repeated multiple times, indicating a cycle of fighting then apologizing, followed by more fighting. After apologizing, the phrase "always let it get to my head" is stated. The word "always" indicates that no matter what, they always fight, even after apologizing. They're hoping and praying that the fights will stop, or they can stop themselves from fighting, but for now they're stuck pretending to be friends.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

TL;DR: The man and woman whom the song is about are trapped in a cycle of fighting and apologizing. They pretend to be friends and overlook all issues between them, but it ALWAYS just ends up with them fighting again.

Ahh! Where'd they go?

At first, I thought this was just a simple love song -- the chorus and the first couple verses really make it seem that way. But after that, the lines get a bit more complex -- "Listen I don't really know you / and I don't think I want to / but I think I can fake it if you can". This line shows that this could be about a relationship gone wrong; either that or a relationship that is only really used for sex. But the next verse "And let's agree there's no need / no more talk of money / let's just keep pretending to be friends" makes everything even more complex. It's as if they're putting on a show for people. They want people to know that they are together, but they loathe each other and don't want to be together.

I think this song is about problems with a work friend that is a higher rank than you and you don't really want to be friends with them. Here are some examples that support this: "No I'm not as proper My money's in copper" "Higher education making sense" "Listen, I don't really know you And I don't think I want to But I think I can fake it if you can Let's agree there's no need, no more talk of money Let's just keep pretending to be friends, oh oh oh"

Could it be possible that instead of "always let it get in my way," it is, "always let it get in my head?"

just a thought

This seems to be a song about people who are acquaintances or distant friends who have strong differences of opinion and yet are trying to remain civi with one another in spite of this. Verse one refers to a distant friend. Perhaps they know the same people, see each other at the same gatherings, etc. The songwriter refers to them as a "friend". The writer of the song appears to see the friend as someone of greater means or a higher class status since the songwriter downplays his money as being in copper (pennies) and not being as proper.

Verse 2 seems to refer to someone else. Someone they just met, a foreigner from Europe. They may be very opinionated, proud, and judgemental even at first meeting. The songwriter doesn't want to get to know them any further but still wants to get along even if just for their short time together until they can go their separate ways.

The conflict is that the songwriter gets "carried away" sometimes and says things out loud that can stir others up even more. They hace a tendency to make a bad situation worse and they are conscious enough of this to try and avoid it if they can.

I definitely think this is a song about self conflict with a combination of relationships and friendships changing.

"Since my heart is golden I've got sense to hold in Tempted just to make an ugly scene No I'm not as proper My money's in copper Ripped down from the brownstones to the street"

--The way he feels in his heart is sacred to him... or "golden", therefore he holds it in. Then he is tempted to act out because he is holding in so much emotion. --It doesn't feel like the right thing to do, but he settles for the feeling... "COPPER" not "gold" (as he referred to his heart before).

"Listen, I'm your friend, don't quote me But not a friend worth noting Yes, please don't ever note me as your friend Who says we have cold hearts? Acting out our old parts Dance before my favorite little scene"

--In the first two lines he is describing friends relying on him, but he doesn't want that pressure....because he is not the same as they used to know him. --"Acting out our old parts" refers to seeing old friends and then going along and acting the same way they used to before they grew apart---kind of "faking" it.

"I get carried away, carried away, from you When I'm open and afraid 'Cause I'm sorry, sorry 'bout that Sorry 'bout things that I've said Always let it get in my way"

--He is feeling manic and "carried away" with the way he's acting. Then he's sorry..because he's shameful and regretting his actions. (Normal reactions from someone who is experiencing extreme emotions). --Then he continues to apologize and admits that he always let's the things he's said get in his way. He is unable to move on because of the guilt he feels from what he has said that he can't take back.

"All your appeal, once again we'd feel Higher education making sense Justify your thesis, certain that you need this Tell me what your point is in defense"

--This is referring to people close to him (either a friendship or relationship) that uses their "higher education" as a way to manipulate the argument. To him, this approach is transparent, and he wants to act out the real feelings, without all of the technical "thesis" statements.

...The next verse is basically talking about how some people close to him are not being genuine or sincere. Don't talk about "money" because it doesn't determine how happy or successful you are in your life or relationships.

"Wake up in the morning, wake up in the evening Wake up when you want to 'Cause no one's really watching Wish you had something to say about it But we all have problems We're all having problems And we all got something to say"

--"Waking up" is referring to living. Live when you want and the way you want because no one is really paying attention. Everyone is too focused on themselves. --Even though we are so self-involved, at the end of the day "we all got something to say"

"Dance before my favorite little scene" hahahaha who wrote this??? It's "lets perform our favorite little scene" and other websites rectify this!!!!

And "always let it get in my way" is definately "always let it get to my head"

Ppl of course are free to interpret what they want from the lyrics but I have to say I personally can't cull a romance or, if romance, a deep scenario out of it.

I see a story about two ppl who were once tight in their younger carefree days but this is now and that was then and the narrator is realizing how far apart their values and priorities are now. He is no longer a partner in crime and is actually irritated by the others continued immaturity.........but......he gets sucked back in by guilt of wanting to break away and it stops him from letting go hence, a two edged sword of getting carried away by the past and, "carried away" by the now and future.