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Better Man Lyrics

Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop
Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech
As he opens the door, she rolls over
Pretends to sleep as he looks her over


She lies and says she's in love with him
Can't find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can't find a better man<b>x4</b>

Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know
She tells herself

Memories back when she was bold and strong
And waiting for the world to come along
Swears she'd do it, now she swears he's gone
She lies and says she's in love with him
Can't find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can't find a better man
She lies and says she still loves him
Can't find a better man
She dreams in color, she dreams in red
Can't find a better man<b>x3</b>

She loved him
She don't want to leave this way
She feeds him
That's why she'll be back again
Can't find a better man<b>x5</b>
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer
Eddie Jerome Vedder
Duration
4:28
Submitted by
dsfire On Jun 04, 2001
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161 Meanings

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Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

I believe this song is about a women in a abusive relationship, realizing she's stupid for staying. But to scared to leave.

this song is about a women who has been in a relationship with a guy for a long time, but she realizes she loves someone else. Someone from her past that she let go, and made the wrong choice. Now she can't get out of the relationship she is in and pretends she is still in love. But at the end he says she cant have it end like that and she loves him so she will always keep coming back.

Not Valid

@Lucky1869_420 No that is wrong

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

i love this song soo much... one of my favourite of all time its just about a woman... too scared to leave this guy.. because she just doesnt want to end up alone i love the beginning the best "its got to stop.. tell him.. take no more she practices her speech as he opens the door.. she rolls over.. pretends to sleep as he looks her over" she was prepared to stand up to him and end it... but then when the moment came she backed down and about the "she dreams in colour she dreams in red"... i think it does actually mean that she dreams of love... because she doesnt have it in her own life red has always, traditionally, symbolised love and passion... not blood... but i could be wrong. everyone is entitled to their own opinions this song rocks

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

This is an awesome song, though horribly sad. I always liked it, but it's recently taken on a deeper meaning to me. There is this girl who is one of my best friends that I always had slightly deeper feelings for. Anyway, she keeps settling for these guys whose league she is far beyond. And when she started to get the impression that I had feelings for her, she withdrew and went back to her self-destructive relationship patterns. Even when an opportunity for true happiness presents itself, she still withdraws. She can't find the better man.

Dude.... This is almost exactly how I feel. Good to know I'm not alone.

Not Valid

I have just ended a relationship of 5 years which this song describes perfectly...even though I know its for the best its so hard dealing with the intense loneliness.

@loopydate Wow! I see this from the female prospective of that! Every single relationship I've been in has ended in abuse, or just badly in general. And sometimes it's hard for me to see when a guy is good for me, even if he's standing next to me.

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

I think the line "She dreams in color, she dreams in red" is just an ironic little line thats saying "She can see everything, once you narrow it down to red." In other words, she can only focus on one man but knows there are others there for her.

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

For some reason I always thought this was about a woman in an abusive relationship who is unable to leave because she feels she has no other choices.

My Interpretation

@musicnuts no that is wrong. It is about the women Eddie Vedder went to high school with and how they will never be able to get over the fact that they could have hooked up with an International Rock Star but instead have to settle for some blue collar loser and it will literally drive them to the brink of insanity knowing what they missed out on

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

i also think its a woman whos been with the same guy for so long that she thinks theres noone else better out there for her. shes just so used to being with him.

i think this songs about eddie vedder's step father also.. i think he might have been abusive...dont quote me on that though.

savannah, you might be spot on with Eddie's stepfather. He was abusive, and he may well have written this song about him.

Not Valid

Yeah you're right, as said before, he referred this song being about 'The Bastard that married my mom'.

Not Valid
Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

she lies and says she's in love with him she dreams in colour, she dreams in red

I think the "she dreams in colour" bit is her rational side. He probably provides for her, works, brings in the money. It's a happy, normal life. Even though she knows she doesn't love him, it's everything she should want. ie, all the colours.

"She dreams in red" symbolises her knowing she doesn't really love him, so she dreams of love.

In reference to the person who didn't understand why she couldn't find a better man.. It's pretty much because he's so traditionally perfect for her. He brings in the money, gives her a home, and everything seems fine on the surface. She just doesn't love him.

My thoughts anyway.

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

Yeah, it's tied w/ his mom marrying some abusive guy and her too scared to leave. Eddie said he would ask her to leave but she would say "No I can't." (That's what I heard anyway."

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

not the clearest of PJ songs.

i too think its about his mom and dad.

she loved him, but he didnt really reciprocate. came home late every night - not necessarily abused her.

"she dreams in colour......." i feeel more than the word "red" whats important here is the "colour" bit. like she dreams/imagines/longs for a very colourful married life, as different from this one sided relationship. "Red" is used to drive home that her dreams are of a "bright" warm and vibrant sort, unlike the cold, dark realities of her married life. however she fails to (1) find that "betterman" who will make all those colourful dreams come true and (2) muster enough courage and resolve to tell her husband on the face that she's had enough and now wants to walk away. she did however love this man once (so she cant so easily leave him this way and go) but now that love is waned, so she "lies and says she's in love with him".

Cover art for Better Man lyrics by Pearl Jam

Eddie Vedder wrote the song when he was 16 years old or so,... it is about his mother and not neccesarily how she can't find a betterman, but how she wont allow herself to find a better man, this song speaks of co-dependence. And it's as original "Eddie" as Eddie gets.

Great song