Album: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (2005)

License This Song 

• I bit my tongue
  I never talked too much
  I tried to be so strong
  
  I did my best
  I used the gentle touch
  I've done it for so long
  
  You put me down
  But I can laugh it off
  And act like nothing's wrong
  
  But why pretend?
  I think I've heard enough
  Of your familiar song
  
  I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
  I'll try to take my mind off you
  And now that you don't need my help
  I'll use the time to think about myself
  
  You're not aware
  Of what you put me through
  And now the feeling's gone
  
  But I don't mind
  Do what you have to do
  You don't fool anyone
  
  I'll tell you what I'm gonna do
  I'll take a different point of view
  And now that you don't need my help
  I'll use the time to think about myself
  
  The definition of friendship
  Apparently you're to be
  Showing support for the one that you love
  And I was open to friendship
  But you didn't seem to have any to spare
  While you were riding to Vanity Fair
  
  There was a time
  When every day was young
  The sun would always shine
  
  I was alone
  When all the songs were sung
  Relieving every line
  
  That's the trouble with friendship
  Someone to feel and it has to be real
  Or it wouldn't be right
  I keep hoping for friendship
  But I wouldn't dare to presume it was there
  While you were riding to Vanity Fair
  
  While you were riding to Vanity Fair
  While you were riding to Vanity Fair
  While you were riding to Vanity Fair Writer/s: Paul James McCartney
  Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

• Cristina from Santiago, ChileAlso, the John theory would make sense with the title, since it was a big problem within The Beatles John being upset/jealous about Paul writing more songs than him, having more songs in albums, having more hits. Probably the main reason the band broke up.
• Cristina from Santiago, ChilePaul said the song is about several people. Now, it's hard to think it's not in part about Heather, for the timing of the song, but it's also hard to think it's not at least in part about John, who else could this part be about?: we sang along, when all the songs were sang, believing every line. In fact, the whole song could be about John, the parts talking about friendship would make sense that way (more so than with Heather).
  Maybe they were lyrics he had lying around since the early 70's... if it is about John, he wouldn't say it.
• David from Apex, NcThis song is not from Memory Almost Full. It was released as a track on Chaos And Creation in the Backyard.
• David from San Francisco, CaTerri - interesting theory, but McCartney has revealed that the album this is from (Memory Almost Full) was mostly written and recorded in 2003-4, while they were still together.
  
  The album was shelved in late 2004 and he started working on what became Chaos And Creation in the Backyard, which was released in 2005. Then he went back and finished up Memory Almost Full in 2005-6.
  
  Though Mills and McCartney had split by the time of its release (2007), McCartney left the songs as is, including a love song written for Heather - See Your Sunshine.
• Steve from Ny, Ny..sort of a juxtoposition to Billy Joel's "Great Wall of China" , in the way that it refers to business people in both Paul & Billy's lives where ther were falling outs.
• Terri from Unspecified, WaI feel (as do many others) this song was written about Heather Mills and the certain demise of their marriage... It was written a couple of years into their marriage, at a time where they were clearly going downhill... At the very least in a marriage, you have to be friends -- this friendship and mutual regard is what sustains you together through the good and bad/ups and downs... Paul did not feel Heather was his friend and she could, therefore, not be relied upon in this vein (nor could she produce this)... He also felt she was a very superficial creature and that, while she ended up barely being able to be caring to him, she always managed to offer this to other people who shouldn't have mattered nearly as much... Again, I feel this song has Heather Mills written all over it...

More Songfacts:

All I Wanna DoSheryl Crow

"All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow started with the first line from an obscure poem called "Fun" that read, "All I wanna do is have some fun."

Instant KarmaJohn Lennon

"Instant Karma" is one of John Lennon's most hopeful songs, written and recorded in one day at a time when he felt people were pulling together in a positive direction.

We Are The ChampionsQueen

Freddie Mercury considered "We Are The Champions" his version of "My Way." "We have made it, and it certainly wasn't easy," he said.

IronicAlanis Morissette

The events described in Alanis Morissette's song "Ironic," like rain on your wedding day, are not examples of irony. Irony is the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning.

SpoonmanSoundgarden

"Spoonman" by Soundgarden is about a real street performer in Seattle: Artis the Spoonman.

AllentownBilly Joel

Billy Joel's song "Allentown" was written as "Levittown," which is the town in Long Island where he grew up. He got the idea to change it after taking a trip to Pennsylvania.

Editor's Picks

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Which Songs are About Drugs?Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Song CitiesMusic Quiz

Nirvana, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen are among those who wrote songs with cities that show up in this quiz.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.