Something is changing inside of me
Colors seem darker in light
And I don't know what that means
But it's not a good sign

You can just add them up
Then you could memorize
Prehistoric bones
All of those old memories
You can push them out
And prep yourself
For brand new information

Don't deconstruct
And then fill me in
I'm not that basic I swear
I've had enough of
Breakdowns and diagrams

Judging from picture books
Apparently heaven
Is a partly cloudy place
And if the sky opened up
And they let you in
And gave you a formal invitation
Would you go?
You can work from home


Lyrics submitted by brick

Don't Deconstruct Lyrics as written by Jenny Diane Lewis Blake Sennett

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Don't Deconstruct song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Yeah, this song is very good. I love the trumpet. In my opinion it makes the song.

    FrankieHollywoodon April 03, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "something is changing inside of me.color's seem darker in light.and i dont know what that means,but it's not a good sign." god,i love that..

    promisexkepton December 14, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It's about depression. She's depressed ("omething is changing inside of me/ Colors seem darker in light"), but she's worried that counseling/psychoanalysis will oversimplify her problems ("Don't deconstruct and then fill me in/I'm not that basic, I swear/I've had enough of breakdowns and diagrams"). The verse about prehistoric bones is referring to traumatic events in her past--counseling would be like wiping the slate clean, but it would get rid of her history and in some ways herself.

    PhoebeEatingon September 28, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is one of my favorite songs by rilo kiley

    rocketqueenzon March 11, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i concur

    kamanakaon May 27, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Judging from picture books, apparently, Heaven is a partly cloudy place." No one's ever said it quite like that..... best song ever.

    Moneekyon January 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "don't deconstruct and then fill me in i'm not that basic i swear"

    its like she knows someone's judging her, and she they have no reason to so she couldn't care but then she's trying to prove herself to them anyway

    hey heyon February 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    *shouldn't not couldnt

    hey heyon February 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this kind of builds off of the whole Science vs. Romance theme. Someone thinks they can just compartmentalize everything going on in their mind and is trying to do the same for her, but she's not that basic - she swears.

    I like the part about heaven a lot. "Would you go? You can work from home." It's making a statement about those people who just want happiness for themselves versus those who want to teach others how. It reminds me of the Bodhisattva Vow in Buddhism: to enter into nirvana only after all beings have been enlightened.

    But I digress.

    andthesoilxon March 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this to me is like: tell it like it is. stop going around the situation, because she knows its there.

    and the end--"you can work from home"-- is a mockery of things that we need that arent really important.

    zerosandoneson May 19, 2006   Link

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