Lyric discussion by Keldon 

Cover art for Gives You Hell lyrics by All-American Rejects, The

A lot of people i talk to mention they totally get the song, but have no idea what the music video has to do with it.

The song is about an ex girlfriend, one he had before he was famous. She probably harped on him about this whole rockstar thing is never gonna happen, you gotta grow up and be a man, i think she dumped his ass for being a slacker.

Then he became famous, i think the way the video ties into it. Is that the neighbors are two different versions of himself, who he became, and who he might have became if he'd have made a different decision. The song is constantly bringing up themes of inner conflict. "But truth be told i miss you, and truth be told i'm lyin'" and this is where i take a litterary leap.

I think the lines "When you hear this song and you sing along but you never tell, you're just a fool, I am as well, hope it gives you hell" Makes you think why he drug himself into the recurring fool rhyme. You could argue that he just needed to make it rhyme. But think that at this point in the song and in the video he's admitting he doesn't really hope she's suffering, and he's just a fool as much as she is.

She made a poor decision but the smart one,trying to get him to come to his senses. And he made a poor decision trying to make it rich, it just happened to work. And to throw it in her face is truely beneath him, because either life he would have chosen would have been a good one.

My Opinion

you are what some people call retarded...ok everybody news flash...the singer in an interview said that the song is about an ex band member who quit the band and is now not famous...your all stupid

@Keldon I agree with this interpretation. I think he's also saying that he hopes she's doing all right because in the last line he says, "When you hear this song I hope that it will give you hell, you could sing along, I hope that it will treat you well."