Lyrics Analysis

As our new song is so different to the previous song, I decided to conduct a new lyrics analysis to help us with our new narrative.


No, I can't take one more step towards you
'Cause all that's waiting is regret
Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore
You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live half alive
And now you want me one more time

[Chorus:]
And who do you think you are?
Runnin' 'round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Who do you think you are?

I hear you're asking all around
If I am anywhere to be found
But I have grown too strong
To ever fall back in your arms

I've learned to live half alive
And now you want me one more time

[Chorus:]
And who do you think you are?
Runnin' 'round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Who do you think you are?

Dear, It took so long just to feel all right
Remember how to put back the light in my eyes
I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed
'Cause you broke all your promises
And now you're back
You don't get to get me back

And who do you think you are?
Runnin' 'round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Don't come back at all

[Chorus:]
And who do you think you are?
Runnin' 'round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
Don't come back for me
Don't come back at all

Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you are?

The lyrics are fairly self-explanitory and, unlike MGMT's 'Kids', have only one basic meaning which can be taken from the lyrics. The song was written by Christina Perri after she went through a divorce from her husband. Therefore, the song represents how she was feeling at that time and how she wanted to forget about the heartbreak in which she is suffering: "I have grown too strong to ever fall back into your arms." This theme is heavily embedded into the lyrics and the tone of the song which is melancholy.

There is an obvious sense of betrayal in the lyrics: "Collecting your jar of hearts and tearing love apart". It is this which creates a deep sense emotion into the lyrics as it is something that a lot of her target audience would be able to relate to and so creates a strong sense of empathy. You also get a sense of how much she loved her ex from the song and how much his absense has effected her life. For instance, "I learned to live half alive" which highlights how her life is not what it used to be when they were together, and her life now is not what she wants it to be. This is also relatable as many people would feel this way after a break up.

Another emotion displayed from the lyrics is a sense of hatred towards the man: "You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul." This powerful line represents this hatred perfectly as she is showcasing how heartless he is. However, you get a much stronger sense of power from the singer as she displays her strength: " But I have grown to strong to fall back into your arms." Lines such as these are very relatable for the audience and so would help people in a situation similar to the one in which she is suffering. This mixed with the style of the singer and how she sings the song (which is extremely powerful to the point where you can imagine her shouting the line 'Who do you think you are?') places Christina Perri on a pedastal above her ex-husband. There also seems to be an air of resentment about the relationship - "I wish I missed the first time that we kissed" - which adds to the raw emotion portrayed as it shows that she is at an early stage of the break up where she can't even look back on the relationship as happy.

The lyrics do hold a certain narrative to them, about the man trying to win her back after he has left her and how she is strong enough to say no. This creates a big contrast to our previous song which was abstract and so will help to guide us into telling a story which will help a lot with the production of the video. It also shows how personal the song is from the artist which adds to the effect on the audience which is very powerful.