When I'm Small lyrics by Phantogram, 12 meanings. When I'm Small explained, official 2024 song lyrics | LyricsMode.com
No new notifications
View all notifications
Hey, click the icon to check the status of your contributions.
User icon

Phantogram – When I'm Small lyrics

Create lyrics explanation
Select some words and click "Explain" button. Then type your knowledge, add image or YouTube video till "Good-o-meter" shows "Cool" or "Awesome!". Publish your explanation with "Explain" button. Get karma points!
OK, got it!
Request & respond explanations
  • Don't understand the meaning of the song?
  • Highlight lyrics and request an explanation.
  • Click on highlighted lyrics to explain.
Phantogram – When I'm Small lyrics
Lucy's underground
She's got a mouth to feed
Am I underground
Or am I in between

Lucy's underground
She's got a mouth to feed
Am I underground
Or am I in too deep

Show me love
Who's got your hand on the button of
Showin' love
You've got your hand on the button of

Lucy's underground
She's never coming back
Am I still alive
Or has the light gone black

Take me underground
Take me all the way
And bring me to the fire
Throw me into the flames

So show me love
Who's got your hand on the button of
Showin' love
You've got your hand on the button of

I would rather die
I would rather die
Than to be with you
Explain Request
×



Lyrics taken from /lyrics/p/phantogram/when_im_small.html

  • Explanations
    new
  • Meanings
  • Email
  • Print
  • Correct
    Add song structure elements
    Click "Correct" to open the "Correction form". There you can add structure tags, correct typos or add missing words. Send your correction and get karma points! Result of your work will appear after moderating.
    OK, got it!
Songwriters: Caleb Shreve, Joshua Carter, Sarah Bartchel
When I'm Small lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Corrected by TJ17

hot lyrics

When I'm Small meanings Post my meaning

  • U
    + 13
    Unregistered 2012-08-13 16:24:08
    From my point of view and as to how I come to understand the meaning of the song it talks about a girl who was in a bad relationship that only gave her sadness and pain. At the point that it kill the love she felt for that person, she decides to leave him, to change her life. Burying the lucy that she use to be when she was with him. Changing her for a stronger brave one. Refusing on going back through another bad, dysfunctional relationship. So she would rather die, than to be back on the bad relationship.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 9
    Unregistered 2012-08-27 00:07:31
    This lyrics and their meanings are painting us a picture. Just think of that person. We grew so fond of. That we love and care for with all our heart. Has change. Into this stranger, this monster, that we don't even recognize them anymore. Yet still trying to hold on to that person they use to be. Still they want to love them unconditionally. Not wanting to face the reality that "she's never coming back". Stuck in a mind state "in between" because their too coward to move foward almost like being mentally inprisoned. Their loved one is lost somewhere dark, cold and lonely. Maybe not literally but mentally, physically, or emotionally. Wanting to put that persons needs before their own. Can't bare going on with life without them. But soon enough they realize that they need to move on with their own life. Now digusted at their previous thoughts and would rather die then to end up in that other person's situation. Like saying no! I'm not joining you, I'm not going to allow you to drag me with you. So they let go of that person. Out of their mind & out of their life.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 7
    Unregistered 2015-03-12 21:55:05
    I believe that Lucy is underground, meaning she is in an abusive relationship and she is stuck there. No life no friends etc. she justifies staying with him because he is the provider. And she has a mouth to feed. But, as the relationship progresses and he gets more violent, the mouth to feed moves out and she justifies staying with him bc of something as simple as a mouse to feed. Could be her mother and as she finds herself in the same situation, she starts to question if she herself is underground, or alienated bc of a shit (abusive) relationship. And as she realizes it, she decides that she'd rather die than become Lucy.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 4
    Unregistered 2017-03-07 17:38:37
    Meaning behind this is from something I personally experienced.

    A boy is lost. Meaning he is dead on the inside and lonely as well. The only way for him to come back to life is to love this woman who is trying to help him.

    If you are a people person you should know it's the other way around. A man bringing a girl back to life.

    Mouth to feed means the boy taking her out to eat and get to know her.

    When it says take me underground it means the woman making love with the dead. Fire meaning hell because it's evil what the boy has done.

    The woman cares and loves him, but would rather die than be with him. Instead, find herself a real man.
    Add your reply
  • David Cannon
    + 2
    David Cannon 2015-12-22 05:51:51
    I think of this song as a relationship as well, one with narcotics, Lucy Odd or is not the person she use to be, the mouth represents her addiction, the mouse, like a lab rat hitting the button over and over again. The singers wondering if they themselves have given too much to their addiction, wondering if the same fate awaits, wondering if there long habit is really under control, and also complacent to go with it still or unable to change, throwing themselves into the flames of destruction. Show me love, is a point in the song where the user is high again. The Button there again like the lab rat, love representing the high and feelings that the drug has replaced. She's asking for love from the drug, Id rather die then be with you is after the drugs starts to wear off and the shame kicks in, I'd rather die then be with you is an expression of this. A person faced trapped in an addiction and wanting to change their fate after a loss.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 2
    Unregistered 2012-08-28 06:03:24
    Maybe I'm reading into it too much but. This is my own meanings about these lyrics. It sounds alot like the description of s**. "mouth to feed" oral possibly. "in too deep". In the middle of s**. "take me all the way" till she have reached her climax. "and bring me to the fire, throw me in the flames" s** before marriage also known in all religions is a sin that you will go to 'hell' for. "show me love" meaning don't stop what your doing. She still want him to continuing pleasuring her. As for that last part I have no damn clue. ;)
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 2
    Unregistered 2012-08-27 00:59:18
    Maybe she is talking about herself. Saying that old part of her (innocence, dignity etc.) is dead and gone. She starts prositution, suicide, drugs, and alchole as her solution to being brokepoor and is not able to support herself or anyone for that matter. It helps her numb her pain as well as give her some sort or support. "she's never coming back" refers to her being far too gone (into deep to stop now). She hates what she's become. "i would rather die than to be with you" talking about her. She want to destroy this new of her, to disconnect herself, numb herself from it. 'lucy' as she refers to feels digusted and diappointed at herself becoming her worst enemy and the feeling of betrayeing by herself.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 1
    Unregistered 2021-06-18 14:08:43
    This song sounds like it is about prostitution and heroine addiction. The writer has fallen deep into addiction and the "underground" and now is disgusted with her life and herself and wants to escape. She would like to change but feels like she is in too deep and might just rather die. Show me love, you've got you"really hand on the button now is a metaphor for how the drug makes her feel love and the button is the plunger for the needle.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 1
    Unregistered 2019-11-20 14:13:36
    I think Lucy is Lucifer and underground is the underworld. The narrator is in a state of semi-consciousness, half-dead, in a coma perhaps, not sure whether she is alive or dead, in hell or heaven or maybe even Purgatory "in-between". The underground is calling the narrator who is tempted to see the fire and be burned by the flames, Lucy is hungry. But then, the narrator comes to a moment of peace and is pleading to be shown the way to Love because she would rather die than go to hell in Lucy's underground.
    Add your reply
  • U
    0
    Unregistered 2022-07-18 23:17:59
    I think this song is about an abused child becoming an adult. "Lucy" is the abused child and makes herself small to try and avoid the suffering. Instead Lucy dies, or rather the child part that is Lucy. She grows and becomes a teenager and after spending years trying to get love from her abusive parent(s) she runs away and starts searching elsewhere for it. Possibly in shady ways hence the being throw to the flames/fire. Wondering if she's too far gone to save herself from her methods of coping. Now with a child of her own (mouth to feed) she hopes to find a way by separating herself from her parent(s) and being what she needs to be/doing what she needs to do, for the betterment of them both.
    Add your reply
  • U
    0
    Unregistered 2020-07-22 21:00:59
    You too can now join the heroin greylings. Just rotting away in the gutter. Wonderful stuff, it builds great character.You failed at your lame gaslighting attempt. Just like you fail at all things in life.And you continue with your antics . Illusions.Jusr like the fact your dying, and every other for you have spokenLie There is absolutely nothing real about you.Not even that fake ass denture . I never wanted anything to do with you But you kept in , and on. Just like you do now. Relentless to stroke your own inferior complexes. you are nothing , a zero in most circles. All you have for others are negativity and drugs.Leave me and stay far away.You have no idea that u have divulged your guilt. Damn your stupid on that shit .
    Add your reply
  • U
    0
    Unregistered 2012-05-24 12:37:28
    I think lucy died (she's underground, she's never coming back) and left her children alone (she's got a mouth to feed). Going out on a limb, maybe the person who sings this is lucy's daughter who has to get money to support her brothers and sister (i always thought of prostitution because of "i'd rather die than to be with you", meaning it disgusts her but she does it for her family).
    Add your reply
    View 7 more meanings

    Write about your feelings and thoughts about When I'm Small

    Know what this song is about? Does it mean anything special hidden between the lines to you? Share your meaning with community, make it interesting and valuable. Make sure you've read our simple tips

    Hey! It's useful.

    If this song really means something special to you, describe your feelings and thoughts. Don't hesitate to explain what songwriters and singer wanted to say. Also we collected some tips and tricks for you:

    • Don't write just "I love this song." Hidden between the lines, words and thoughts sometimes hold many different not yet explained meanings
    • Remember: your meaning might be valuable for someone
    • Don't post links to images and links to facts
    • Write correctly
    • Don't spam and write clearly off-topic meanings
    • Don't write abusive, vulgar, offensive, racist, threatening or harassing meanings
    • Do not post anything that you do not have the right to post
    • Please note: We moderate every meaning

    Follow these rules and your meaning will be published

    .
    Write song meaning
    Type your knowledge till "Good-o-meter" shows "Awesome!". Then send your meaning with "Post meaning" button. Get karma points!
    OK, got it!
    U
    Min 50 words
    Not bad
    Good
    Awesome!

    Top meanings Post my meaning

    • U
      + 13
      Unregistered
      From my point of view and as to how I come to understand the meaning of the song it talks about a... Read more →
    • U
      + 9
      Unregistered
      This lyrics and their meanings are painting us a picture. Just think of that person. We grew so... Read more →
    All When I'm Small meanings →

    official video

    More Phantogram lyrics

    Full lyrics and meanings of When I'm Small performed by Phantogram All Phantogram Lyrics →

    Featured lyrics

    View 10 more explanations
    Add your explanation

    Write an explanation

    BoldItalicLinkAdd an image new!
    20 words
    Good
    Cool
    Awesome!

    Explanation guidelines:

    • Describe what artist is trying to say in a certain line, whether it's personal feelings, strong statement or something else.
    • Provide song facts, names, places and other worthy info that may give readers a perfect insight on the song's meaning.
    • Add links, pictures and videos to make your explanation more appealing. Provide quotes to support the facts you mention.
    Before you get started, be sure to check out these explanations created by our users: good, very good, great.

    Request explanation

    • Ask us or our community about the part of the song that interests you
    • We will try to respond as soon as possible
    ×
    Congratulations!
    Keep posting annotations and earn
    respect from LyricsMode community.
    Yep, I'm cool!
    0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    [Intro][Verse][Pre-Chorus][Chorus][Hook][Bridge][Outro]