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Teenage FBI Lyrics

Someone tell me why
I do the things
That i don't wanna do
When you're around me..I'm somebody else
Someone tell me why I act like a fool
When things don't go my way
When you're around me
I'm somebody else

There is good reason I guess
Having once gone to far
When you clean out the hive
Does it make you wanna cry
I'm still being followed by the Teenage FBI

chorus:
Someone tell me why
Someone tell me why
Someone tell me why I do the things
That i don't wanna do
When you're around me
I'm somebody else
Someone tell me why
Someone tell me why

Someone tell me why I do the things
That I don't wanna do
When you're around me
I'm somebody else
Someone tell me why I act like a fool
When things don't go my way
When you're around me
I'm somebody else

There is good reason i guess
Having once gone to far
When you clean out the hive
Does it make you wanna cry
I'm still being followed by the Teenage FBI

repeat chorus
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20 Meanings

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Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

I think the lyrics are fairly obvious - about acting like a different person in front of certain people. "Teenage FBI" references the typical teenager stereotype of being horribly judgemental based on one's clothes and actions. The line about cleaning out the hive confuses me though.

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

Fucking love this song.

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

I love this song. Tis amzing!

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

fucking awesome

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

This song is about picking your nose. The singer was originally a teacher, and teenage fbi refers to teenagers catching you while picking your nose. The line "When you clean out the hive" makes this kind of obvious. "Having once gone to far" - Putting your finger too far up there, or not stopping and getting caught.

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

thats silly. and 1000 bongs is the coolest name i've ever heard. i cant even live.

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

I think Dr Ray might be right. There are times when you pick too hard or accidentally rip out a hair and it's so painful it makes you almost want to cry.

So why is the guy tempted to pick? Is he around some girl who has a nice smell?

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

Teenage FBI seems to be a reference to the teen's belief that everyone is always watching them causing them to make doubly sure that they look good, and that they're not doing anything stupid.

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

I think if you put all of the above meanings together you get the true meaning of the song: picking your nose leads you to be caught by the "teenage FBI" or aka - the kids that pick on you for picking your nose.

Cover art for Teenage FBI lyrics by Guided by Voices

This song is about picking your noise? I really doubt that.... but hey! Maybe...

Also, "Teenage FBI" was on the first Buffy soundtrack