You Must Be Out Of Your Mind Lyrics

Lyric discussion by iunnui 

Cover art for You Must Be Out Of Your Mind lyrics by Magnetic Fields, The

I think the song is about a man that betrayed his wife/girlfriend and is trying to win her back.

[I want you crawling back to me down on your knees, yeah] [Like an appendectomy sans anesthesia]

He calls to ask for forgiveness and she tells him to beg for it. She wants to get his hopes up so rejection will hurt even more.

[You can't go round just saying stuff because it's pretty] [And I no longer drink enough to think you're witty]

He tries smooth-talking but she is now wise enough to know he's lying.

[It must be something scandalous lurks in your shallows] [If you needed Santa Claus to buy your gallows]

He claims he will kill himself if he can't have her. She sees this as a disgraceful way to patch up their relationship, which is now as make believe as Santa Claus.

I'm certain it's "shallows" and not "shadows."

I agree, and I think its definitely from the point of view of the wife/girlfriend. The guy broke up with her and now wants it back ("You want what you turned off turned on")

I think this song is actually about a fling that he had with a GUY. Since he is GAY and writes music about MEN.

Actually Stephin Merritt constructs characters of all persuasions