It's not a case of doing what's right
It's just the way I feel that matters
Tell me I'm wrong
I don't really care

It's not a case of share and share alike
I take what I require
I don't understand
You say it's not fair

You expect me to act like a lover
Consider my moves and deserve the reward
To hold you in my arms and wait, wait
Wait for something to happen

It's not a case of telling the truth
Some lines just fit the situation
Call me a liar
You would anyway

It's not a case of aiming to please
You know your always crying
It's just your part
In the play for today


Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Play for Today Lyrics as written by Matthieu A. Hartley Laurence Andrew Tolhurst

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Play for Today song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    Smith said:

    "The fraudulent aspects of an insincere relationship".

    This song is so good. One of my favorites.

    monster36604on December 05, 2008   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning

    For me he is talking about that kind of relationship where one of the parts is always complaining and blaming the other.

    "You expect me to act like a lover Consider my moves and deserve the reward"

    It sounds to me that his relationship was a bit stagnated and his lover is telling that he should earn her love, "deserve the reward" but if he would, he would just "wait for something to happen" cause in the end she is asking him to deserve her love but not doing much effort to make the relationship fun or worth it.

    "It's not a case of aiming to please You know you're always crying"

    Might be the case that she is doing so much just to please him, but always waiting something back so she is always end up crying.

    "It's not a case of telling the truth Some lines just fit the situation"

    In the end I think he liked her at first and wanted the relationship to work so is not a case that he was lying, it is in fact that she is asking so much to hear the truth (which for her is that he doesn't love her), that that in fact is becoming an annoyance, and if she continues with that, it might just become the truth and the line will fit the situation.

    talytalyon December 04, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    hehehe selfish teenage love here.. i still like to listen to this song though when i am feeling immature and spiteful... giggling away the uncomfortable feeling of the responsibility of someone elses tears..

    Ratzodyon September 15, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Pure teenage angst and rebellion. I feel its about this girl she expects Robert to do things for her benefit and Robert is saying no, I am my own individual, don't expect me to do this and that, don't expect me to bow down to your laws of relationships/sex whatever, I will do as I feel and I'm not playing your games!!!

    I can't relate if you can't tell

    KWizzy02on March 28, 2005   Link
  • +1
    Question

    I think there is a degree of sarcasm and/or cynicism in this one - kinda like "Let's Go to Bed." The narrator seems to be describing a relationship that has become so annoyingly predictable that he views it as a sort of "play" they're acting out. It appears that he is something of a jerk ("I take what I require"), but perhaps this can be

    GwiberWyrddon January 23, 2017   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Could just be that one party is a complete asshole who genuinely doesn't care what the partner needs or wants or how much the other person gets hurt. The other person should get out.

    Otherwise it sounds like the protagonist has given up trying to please someone who just can't be pleased at all. They should both get out.

    Bluelauramoonon July 02, 2018   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Forgot to say great song. Love it.

    Bluelauramoonon July 02, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    17 Seconds was kinda a concept album. I feel this song has a darker meaning it seems to reflect a boy stalking an ex-girlfriend vica versa. This is my favorite The Cure song aswell.

    Bliss Freakon December 15, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i really love this song i think because it's so blah and in your face in a way. but i think overal it's saying," just do whatever whenever" in a more mean way than that. favorite lines:

    "It's not a case of telling the truth Some lines just fit the situation You call me a liar You would anyway"

    fly me highon March 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ooooo!! maybe it's not so much a girlfriend/boyfriend lovers things, but just friends in general? like that point where a relationship with a friend just starts to spiral down to nowhere?

    fly me highon March 26, 2006   Link

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