Please Pretend Like I Matter
Love's Desperation: Yearning for Recognition
Lyrics
I’ve been waiting
The speaker expresses impatience and anticipation.
For your warning that you might come home
The speaker awaits a warning or sign that someone may return home.
But who am I kidding
The speaker acknowledges self-deception about the home's status.
This hasn’t been your home in so long
The home hasn't been the person's actual home for a significant period.
For months I’ve been wondering what would be worse
The speaker contemplates the dilemma of leaving and losing or staying and not being a priority.
To leave and lose you
The potential consequence of leaving and losing the person is considered.
Or never come first
The speaker questions whether it's worse to never be a priority.
Cause, you lie awake at night thinking of her
The person lies awake thinking about someone else (possibly another romantic interest).
Well I’m tired of trying harder
The speaker is exhausted from trying too hard in the relationship.
And I’m tired of feeling more
Frustration with feeling unimportant and neglected.
So please pretend like I matter before you leave for her
Plea for the person to pretend the speaker matters before leaving for the other person.
And I’m tired of being the second choice
Expresses discontent with being the second choice.
And I’m tired of waiting around
Fed up with waiting for the person to prioritize the relationship.
So please pretend like I matter before you leave me now
Similar plea to line 11 but a request to be noticed before being left.
You say you care about me
The person claims to care about the speaker.
And one day you’ll come back to me
Hope that the person will eventually return to the speaker.
You keep me hanging on a thread
Feeling emotionally fragile due to ambiguous promises.
But it’s words like that that break me
Words like those create emotional pain for the speaker.
And keep me holding on dearly
Despite the pain, the speaker clings to the hope implied in the words.
And slowly I start to believe
The speaker begins to believe in perfect lies that maintain emotional attachment.
Those perfect lies that keep me chained
Perfect lies contribute to emotional bondage.
Your beautiful eyes that drive me insane
The person's attractive qualities create turmoil for the speaker.
How do you expect me to walk away?
Despite the pain, it's difficult for the speaker to walk away from the person.
Well I’m tired of trying harder
Continued exhaustion from excessive effort in the relationship.
And I’m tired of feeling more
Reiteration of being tired of trying too hard and feeling neglected.
So please pretend like I matter before you leave for her
Similar plea as in line 11, asking to matter before leaving for the other person.
And I’m tired of being the second choice
Reiteration of discontent with being a second choice.
And I’m tired of waiting around
Repetition of frustration with waiting for the person's commitment.
So please pretend like I matter before you leave me now
Similar plea as in line 14 but a request to be noticed before being left without delay.
So this is me to you
The speaker describes their message to the person.
And this is you to her
The speaker imagines the person's message to another (possibly the new romantic interest).
And this is her to some other guy that she probably puts first
The new person is likely prioritized over the speaker.
So don’t pretend like you don’t know my pain
The speaker emphasizes that the person understands their pain.
That I have felt every single day
Every day, the speaker experiences emotional pain.
Because I know that you do
Confirmation that the person is aware of the speaker's pain.
Because she’s doing this to you
The speaker recognizes the person is experiencing a similar situation with someone else.
Well I’m tired of trying harder
Reiteration of fatigue from excessive effort in the relationship.
And I’m tired of feeling more
Repetition of being tired of trying too hard and feeling neglected.
So please pretend like I matter before you leave for her
Similar plea as in line 11, asking to matter before leaving for the other person.
And I’m tired of being the second choice
Reiteration of discontent with being a second choice.
And I’m tired of waiting around
Repetition of frustration with waiting for the person's commitment.
So please pretend like I matter before You leave
Similar plea as in line 14 but a request to be noticed before being left without delay.
Me now
Repetition of the plea to matter before being left.
Before you leave
A final plea before the person leaves.
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