Don't think me unkind
Words are hard to find
They're only cheques I've left unsigned
From the banks of chaos in my mind

And when their eloquence escapes me
Their logic ties me up and rapes me

De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Is all I want to say to you
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Their innocence will pull me through
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Is all I want to say to you
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
They're meaningless and all that's true

Poets, priests and politicians
Have words to thank for their positions
Words that scream for your submission
And no one's jamming their transmission

'Cause when their eloquence escapes you
Their logic ties you up and rapes you

De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Is all I want to say to you
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Their innocence will pull me through
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Is all I want to say to you
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
They're meaningless and all that's true

De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Is all I want to say to you
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Their innocence will pull me through
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
Is all I want to say to you
De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da
They're meaningless and all that's true


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da Lyrics as written by Gordon Sumner

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment

    Words means nothing sometimes when you are considering the source of them (a liar, manipulator, someone with an ulterior motive). He is saying the poets, priests and politicians of the world use words to do these things and move the masses to their will. The singer doesn't want to use words in this way, he rather speak meaningless babble than to be insincere. "Their innocence will pull me through" In being inarticulate he is innocent unlike the persons he mentioned in power that have an agenda. It is intrinsically a song about corruption.

    Arachidamiaon March 27, 2010   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Excellent song for us tongue tied folks. :P

    Thia007on November 30, 2011   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation

    Okay, open your mind wide for this one...

    Could this song be from the viewpoint of an infant?

    This about it... a baby would find all words to be nonsense... unsigned checks, if you will. It's not that the baby is being unkind in not replying... he/she just can't make sense of it all.

    And their only reply? Do do do do, de da da da. Baby talk.

    I know... it's a stretch. But it totally makes sense!

    C-Marshon November 18, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is my favorite police song, especially when covered by Incubus. If you check out the incubus alive from red rocks, they cover it in the middle of stellar because its in the same key...kinda cool

    71cuttyon May 04, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is saying how he doesn't like how people play with words. They use eloquent words to make them seem intelligent or above other people when really it could simply be a masquerade for their own ignorance that would show through. So they hide behind their big eloquent (meaningless) words and phrases. He's caught off-guard (tied up and raped) he can't even defend himself because his words would appear inferior. He knows what he's getting at... his logic and knowledge is too deep to leave his tounge, so he replys with babble (de do do do, de da da da) simply meaning he dosen't have to justify himself to them.

    wheaties409on March 08, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Don't always believe what the writer says about the song. He could be using a muse and doesn't want the muse to know he used her.

    luvwingson November 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    He's fallen in love and get's tongue-tied around her.

    He compares his situation to leaders and poets, who skilfully use their words to get fame and power.

    Sonofagunzelon July 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Love this song.. For some reason, I just like to turn on my stereo and listen to this song real loud in the morning before I go to School. I think there is 2 versions of it! My Uncle got the SACD for it and i remember playing it and it was a slower cooler version of the song.. then when he burnt the song onto a regular cd, it changed it the regular version..

    new_weston January 30, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Ooh I have Alive at Red Rocks... and I saw them do it in concert...AWESOME. But mmkay someone care to explain the meaning?

    dadslildefect37on July 04, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    greetings, dadslildefect, fret no more, meaningmasta is here. ;-) first off, i want to say this is a very cool song, i love the energy, beat, the repeating guitar riff... My take on the meaning, is that words are often meaningless, especially in modern life. and that the actual words spoken often convey nothing true or real, they are often lies, or just pointless chit-chat. "De Do Do Do" etc sounds like baby talk, and i think that what hes comparing most everyday conversation to.

    "Dont think me unkind, Words are hard to find etc." in this verse, i think hes coming from the view of a deeper quiet person. He cant just babble meaninglessly all the time like everyone else. And because hes quiet, hes often seen as "unkind" or rude, stuckup etc.

    "And when their eloquence escapes me Their logic ties me up and rapes me"

    i dont know exactly what hes getting at, but it may be that often people listen to a speaker emotionally, they are not being logical. in other words its more how you say it(eloquence) than what you actually say. It also may have to do with deeper thinkers(logic) not always being good at comminicating. While glib,shallow people are often great at schmoozing.

    "They're meaningless and all that's true"

    Goes back to my earlier points. Most everyday words/conversation that people say are meaningless, and thats the only true thing about the words spoken.(often being lies)

    meaningmastaon January 10, 2006   Link

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