I'm not going down on my knees, begging you to adore me
Can't you see it's misery and torture for me?
When I'm misunderstood
Try as hard as you can, I've tried as hard as I could
To make you see
How important it is for me

Here is a plea from my heart to you
Nobody knows me as well as you do
You know how hard it is for me to shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these

Understand me, understand me
Understand me, understand me

Some people have to be permanently together
Lovers devoted to each other forever
Now I've got things to do
And I've said before that I know you have too
When I'm not there
In spirit, I'll be there

Here is a plea from my heart to you
Nobody knows me as well as you do
You know how hard it is for me to shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these

Understand me, understand me
Understand me, understand me

Here is a plea from my heart to you
Nobody knows me as well as you do
You know how hard it is for me to shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these

Here is a plea from my heart to you
Nobody knows me as well as you do
You know how hard it is for me to shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these

Here is a plea from my heart to you
Nobody knows me as well as you do
You know how hard it is for me to shake the disease
That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these


Lyrics submitted by shut, edited by markydissod

Shake The Disease Lyrics as written by Martin Gore

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Shake The Disease song meanings
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  • +5
    Song Meaning

    I respectfully disagree. Martin wrote "Some people have to be permanently together/Lovers devoted to each other forever." Then he goes on to contrast the way he feels about his affair. Why would he compare his relationship to other lovers if his relationship wasn't in the same category?

    It seems to me that this song is a plea to someone to truly know him. Words always fail to truly capture thoughts, and this is goes doubly for men (generally) who have a very hard time saying “I love you” or express their emotions. He genuinely wants to speak what is in his heart, but when he tries “a cat gets his tongue” and he is unable to articulate. Despite this “disease,” he’s “tried as hard as [he] could.” It’s so sad, because despite the fact that whomever he is talking to knows him better than anyone in the world (“Nobody knows me As well as you do”), he is still isn’t understood. If his love cannot know him, no one ever can.

    j_dubon December 27, 2009   Link

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