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Rid of Me Lyrics

Tie yourself to me
No one else
No, you're not rid of me
Hmm you're not rid of me

Night and day I breathe
Ah hah ay
Hey, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me

I beg you, my darling
Don't leave me, I'm hurting

Lick my legs I'm on fire
Lick my legs of desire

I'll tie your legs
Keep you against my chest
Oh, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see

Till you say don't you wish you never never met her?
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her?
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her?
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her?

I beg you my darling
Don't leave me, I'm hurting
Big lonely above everything
Above everyday, I'm hurting

Lick my legs, I'm on fire
Lick my legs of desire
Lick my legs, I'm on fire
Lick my legs of desire

Yeah, you're not rid of me
Yeah, you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see

Till you say don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her

Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs of desire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs of desire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs of desire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs I'm on fire)
Don't you don't you wish you never never met her
(Lick my legs of desire)

Lick my legs I'm on fire
Lick my legs of desire
Lick my legs I'm on fire
Lick my legs of desire
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22 Meanings

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Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

i think it's really more about possession rather than actual love.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

It's about the mantis. The female mantis, during mating time, bites off the male’s head. Brilliant. PJ is genious.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

jesus, I've always wondered about the "twist your head off" line. Of course it refers to a mantis. Thank you, angeville. Though I don't think the song is about the mantis, just uses their behavior as a conceit for a more general comment on the potentially cruel nature of the female sex. Especially in light of the "lick my legs" bit; the legs of a mantis are covered in spines.

I stress "potentially" cruel nature, because in the animal world, this behavior isn't cruel, it's just nature. But humans have emotions to consider. So to me this song seems to be about women who use this idea that "the female species is deadlier than the male" as an excuse to behave this way. Which is fucked.

Maybe my favorite Polly Jean song EVER

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

It’s pretty disheartening how wrong people are about the obvious meanings of so many songs.

“Rid of Me” is not about “the cruelty of the female sex” (which is sexist, btw, and if it was, it would indeed be pretty fucked). Instead, it’s a fucking awesome song about becoming sexually empowered (overused word, but it applies here) as a woman and a sexual creature - very likely a woman who’s been objectified before, used, hurt, etc. It’s not “about” praying mantises, but it does apply their techniques during sex as a metaphor for making the predator the prey.

Women are very often seen by men as their sexual prey. In this song, the woman isn’t the prey - the man is. Simple idea, and again, fucking awesome - it isn’t not about women being cruel for no reason. Trust me, we have a lot of reasons to act in this way - the way men often do. It’s about not being weak and just “taking it”.

That’s clearly what it’s about. Any questions?

Song Meaning

@RidOfMe86 I don't have any questions... I'm sure that the five years since you posted will have given you enough (and, I would hope, some comforting answers). What I do want to say is the... intelligence, the truthfulness, the beauty of your (and, meh, everyone else's) post is absolutely beautiful. with love.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

What makes this song so profoundly affecting is the almost contradictory parts its made of: the fragile, weak, lonely, pleading up against the possesive, sadistic, torturous and violent. The gap is briged by PJs amaaaaazing vocal performance, she succeds in making this song as psychologicaly complex and disarming as it is. I think that most men that comit abuses to their couples act this way... It's a perfect song. Never get tired of it. So black, so desperate, so true.

yeah good points, and they say many abusive relationships remain solely because of incredible desire/chemistry.

Not Valid

@sinkorswim they act in WHAT way? You commented about the vocal performance, and yes, it's a wonderful performance. By a woman. Singing in the voice of a woman (not portraying the "male side" of a relationship. Then you sprung a non-sequitur about how (abusive) men act in relationships. WTF are you trying to say?

You had a reply agreeing on what you said, so maybe it's me. But idk what either of you is on about.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

its about obsession over someone maybe who cheated on her ("don't you wish you had never met her?")

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

"Don't you wish you'd never met her" is a quote from 'Dirty Blue Gene' by Captain Beefheart. The most accurate lyrics I can find are here: http://likebeingreadtofromdictionaries.blogspot.com/2009/04/shiny-beast-of-thought.html Not that it seems all that relevant - just thought I'd point it out.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

The chorus frightened me the first time I heard it. In fact it still frightens me a bit.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

This is about a relationship where one person has had enough but the other person still loves them and wants them.

Cover art for Rid of Me lyrics by PJ Harvey

who sings the "lick my legs..." part. it's pretty interesting, 'specially at the end, where it sounds more like a demand.