What does Misery Business by Paramore mean?

Answer 1

It is about a girl (most likely Hayley) with a steady boyfriend who thought he would never leave her, until another girl comes along and snatches him away.

"When I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth."

The girl waited eight long months, and finally got her boyfriend back. She tells her boyfriend that he's the only one for her. Two weeks and they are very heated up, but the other girl (boyfriend stealer) is jealous of their relationship. But the girl still wears the biggest smile.

"I waited eight long months,

She finally set him free.

I told him I can't lie he was the only one for me.

Two weeks and we had caught on fire,

She's got it out for me,

But I wear the biggest smile."

The girl knows she has her boyfriend right where she wants him and that he'll never leave her again, so she is happy. She doesn't want to brag, but she knows she's right. And she wants the girl to know that if she could get her boyfriend back after he cheated, she would too. She's saying it feels great to win.

"Whoa, I never meant to brag

But, I got him where I want him now.

Whoa, it was never my intention to brag

To steal it all away from you now.

But god does it feel so good,

Cause I got him where I want him now.

And if you could then you know you would.

Cause god it just feels so...

It just feels so good."

She is saying she would give the girl a second chance, but they don't matter and people never change. She calls her a whore, and tells her that she'll only forgive her if she forgives her back. Then she decides not to. She tells her that there are a million other girls that act just like her, being selfish and only thinking about themselves. She says she will never be like that.

"Second chances they don't ever matter, people never change.

Once a whore you're nothing more, I'm sorry, that'll never change.

And about forgiveness, we're both supposed to have exchanged.

I'm sorry honey, but I'm passing up, now look this way.

Well there's a million other girls who do it just like you.

Looking as innocent as possible to get to who,

They want and what they like it's easy if you do it right.

Well I refuse, I refuse, I refuse!"

She says that her boyfriend's dreams can come true without selfish boyfriend stealers.

"I watched his wildest dreams come true

Not one of them involving you

Just watch my wildest dreams come true

Not one of them involving...!"

Take a look at the video: http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=aCyGvGEtO…

The lyrics tell the story of the video.

= )

"The song is about a girl who ruined one of our friend's lives with sex, using her sexuality to get what she wanted. And it really affected us, watching him crumble. So, when Hayley wrote 'Misery Business,' she posted online how she wanted to encourage our fans not to be scared to say what you feel or what you're ashamed of, because once you do, you're setting yourself free. We had a huge response. There were some people that were embarrassed of using drugs, drinking, or sleeping around or having gay sex. Everything, really. There were a few parents who replied, ashamed of how they raised their kids."

-Josh Farro (from songfacts.com)