Just a Toy
Love's Puppetry Unveiled: 'Just a Toy' by Barenaked Ladies
Lyrics
Look at my mouth, a thin painted line
Describing the appearance with a painted smile, portraying a facade.
Look at my limbs, bent up and bundled in twine
Feeling constrained or restricted, symbolized by being bound up.
Forever, ever mine
Emphasizing ownership or possession.
Form of a tree, shape of a child
Metaphorically combining natural elements (tree) with human form (child).
I wish I could cry, stuck in a permanent smile
Expressing the inability to convey true emotions despite a fixed smile.
Forever, ever mine
Reiterating ownership or possession.
I know you must have loved me sometime
Acknowledging past affection or love.
But now I'm just a toy
Feeling reduced to a mere object for amusement.
I know you must have loved me sometime
Reflecting on past love, contrasting it with the current situation.
First there was me, nothing but time
Initial existence before another person entered the picture.
'Til he came along, you told me you'd always be mine
A promise of eternal commitment broken by someone else.
Forever, ever mine
Emphasizing ownership or possession once again.
Look at his face, somewhat like mine
Comparing the appearance of someone new to oneself.
But look at his nose, you can always be sure that he's lying
Pointing out a distinguishing feature indicating deceit.
Forever, ever mine
Reiterating ownership or possession.
I know you must have loved me sometime
Recalling past affection or love.
But now I'm just a toy
Feeling reduced to a mere object for amusement (repeated).
I know you must have loved me sometime
Contrasting past love with the current state of being treated as an object (repeated).
But now I'm just a toy
Feeling reduced to a mere object for amusement (repeated).
Who needs you
Questioning the necessity or importance of the person who treats them as a toy.
A boy-to-be
Referencing a younger version of oneself.
Who needs to be
Expressing a desire or need for validation.
Better than him, worthy of you
Aspiring to be considered better or more deserving.
Given the chance that he had, I know what I'd do
Believing that given a chance, they would make better choices than the person preferred by the other.
Forever, ever mine
Reiterating ownership or possession with a sense of permanence.
I call him liar, you call him son
Labeling the other person negatively.
If I could move, I'd set him on fire and I'd run
Expressing a desire to take action if not constrained.
Forever and forever
Wishing for an escape or a way out.
I know you must have loved me sometime
Recalling past affection or love (repeated).
But now I'm just a toy
Feeling reduced to a mere object for amusement (repeated).
I know you must have loved me sometime
Contrasting past love with the current state of being treated as an object (repeated).
But now I'm just a toy
Feeling reduced to a mere object for amusement (repeated).
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