This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
It must be your skin, I'm sinking in
Must be for real 'cause now I can feel
And I didn't mind, it's not my kind
It's not my time to wonder why
Everything gone white, everything's grey
Now you're here, now you're away
I don't want this, remember that
I'll never forget where you're at
Don't let the days go by
Glycerine
Glycerine
I'm never alone, I'm alone all the time
Are you at one or do you lie?
We live in a wheel where everyone steals
But when we rise, it's like strawberry fields
If I treated you bad, you'd bruise my face
Couldn't love you more, you've got a beautiful taste
Don't let the days go by
Could've been easier on you
I couldn't change though I wanted to
Should've been easier by three
Our old friend fear and you and me
Glycerine
Glycerine
Don't let the days go by
Glycerine
Don't let the days go by
Glycerine, glycerine
Oh, glycerine, glycerine
Bad moon white again
Bad moon white again
As she falls around me
I needed you more, you wanted us less
Could not kiss, just regress
It might just be clear, simple and plain
Well, that's just fine, that's just one of my names
Don't let the days go by
Could've been easier on you, you, you
Glycerine
Glycerine
Glycerine
Glycerine
Must be for real 'cause now I can feel
And I didn't mind, it's not my kind
It's not my time to wonder why
Everything gone white, everything's grey
Now you're here, now you're away
I don't want this, remember that
I'll never forget where you're at
Don't let the days go by
Glycerine
Glycerine
I'm never alone, I'm alone all the time
Are you at one or do you lie?
We live in a wheel where everyone steals
But when we rise, it's like strawberry fields
If I treated you bad, you'd bruise my face
Couldn't love you more, you've got a beautiful taste
Don't let the days go by
Could've been easier on you
I couldn't change though I wanted to
Should've been easier by three
Our old friend fear and you and me
Glycerine
Glycerine
Don't let the days go by
Glycerine
Don't let the days go by
Glycerine, glycerine
Oh, glycerine, glycerine
Bad moon white again
Bad moon white again
As she falls around me
I needed you more, you wanted us less
Could not kiss, just regress
It might just be clear, simple and plain
Well, that's just fine, that's just one of my names
Don't let the days go by
Could've been easier on you, you, you
Glycerine
Glycerine
Glycerine
Glycerine
Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7, edited by bobudo, antiaverage, 000/
Glycerine Lyrics as written by Gavin Rossdale
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, O/B/O DistroKid
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Its pretty staright forward to me. Glycerine is used in food photography to preserve and enhance the look of food, its a preservative. Now you don't want to eat the stuff after you use it, so when I shot something I really wanted to eat, I misted it with water. So he is saying he wants the relationship to stay the same forever, to always be good. "Don't let the days go by". In the lyrics he alludes to trouble in the relationship, but every relationship has its faults and he admits he could have been better at holding up his bargain. It sounds like a guy on the cusp of losing the best relationship he has had.
@cybermachiavellin I LOVE this meaning….it’s obviously the tone of the song when you really listen! <br /> You’re smart to dissect the “glycerine” aspect.