What does Careful mean?

Paramore: Careful Meaning

Album cover for Careful album cover

Song Released: 2009


Careful Lyrics

I settled down
A twisted up frown
Disguised as a smile, well
You would have never known


I had it all
But not what I wanted
Cause home for me
Was a place uncharted
And overgrown

You'd make your way in
I resist you just like...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 18th 2010 !⃝

    Honestly,I really don't think or atleast like to think that they meant to oppose god in any way because the band is christian,or atleast that's what i've heard plus on the album riot in the mess of words u find hayley thanking jesus for blessing her when she doesn't derserve it.i feel that what she meant by the truth never set her free is that she's saying that god helps those who help themselves.I mean think about it,when you tell the truth it can be very painful and devastating at times and you feel ashamed for whatever sin you commited.She's basically saying that she's ready to redeem herself on her own and forget the past.Careful,is all about being ready to take risks and god is all about his children stepping out their comfort zone.and even when you mess up u gotta have enough guts to take another risk and get your honor back.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    aprylxx
    click a star to vote
    Mar 26th 2010 !⃝

    I think this song is about not being "too careful" in life, you have to take risks and step out of your comfort zone.
    In parts of the song it seems like Hayley was referring to a situation where she might have been "too careful" in a situation and did not speak her mind...when she talks about "shutting down".

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 18th 2010 !⃝

    I settled down
    A twisted up frown
    Disguised as a smile, well
    You would have never known
    (Here she is being sarcastic saying that she isn't really depressed with life like this person who she is talking too, has found happiness.)

    I had it all
    But not what I wanted
    Cause home for me
    Was a place uncharted
    And overgrown
    (She is saying she had constant sin in her life and that where she truly belongs as a christian is in heaven with Jesus because heaven is uncharted and has been here longer than we can imagine.)

    You'd make your way in
    I resist you like this
    (This is saying before she became a christian she tried to resist God.)

    You can't tell me to feel
    The truth never set me free
    So, I'll do it myself
    (This is when she was denying God saying that other peoples' "truth" which ended up lies, never helped her so He wouldn't either.)

    You can't be too careful anymore
    When all that is waiting for you
    Won't come closer
    You've got to reach out a little more
    More
    More
    More, more
    (1. She is saying that Heaven is coming for believers and that you can't doubt God by being careful not to get involved too much in case it isn't true, or you won't come closer to heaven. It is showing that God is true and that people should realize that.
    2. You have to reach out and witness to people because the lost are waiting to be saved and as a Christian you should try to save others.)

    Open your eyes like I opened mine
    It's only the real world
    A life you will never know
    (This is after she became a christian. She's telling people to realize that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and that the real world is with Him but you will never know it if you stay a sinner.)

    Shifting your weight
    To throw off the pain
    Well you can ignore it
    But, only for so long
    (She is saying that you can't lie to yourself and ignore the loneliness without God forever and that eventually you will see the Truth.)

    You look like I did
    You resist me like this
    (Saying that this unbeliever reminds herself of what she used to be like and that this person denies God like she did while Hayley is witnessing.)

    You can't tell me to heal
    And, it hurts remembering
    How it felt to shut down
    (She is saying that you can't just get over the loneliness without God and how it hurts her to be reminded of her old, sinful ways.)

    Can't be too careful anymore
    When all that is waiting for you
    Won't come any closer
    You've got to reach out a little more
    More
    More
    More, more
    (Already explained)

    The truth never set me free
    The truth never set me free
    The truth never set me free
    So, I'll do it myself
    (Either quoting what she said as a nonbeliever to emphasize how wrong she really was or quoting what she would say to the people who claimed to tell the truth but really lied saying that she will go off and find the real truth herself which is God.)

    Can't be too careful anymore
    When all that's been waiting for you
    Won't come any closer
    You've got to reach out
    More
    More
    More, more
    (already explained)

    [Overall Interpretation:
    Explains Hayley's life before and after Jesus came into her life and how you need to realize that both the world lies to you and that Jesus is the Truth & that you need to witness to help people who are lost in sin like Hayley was.]

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 26th 2012 !⃝

    There are too many fundamental Christians on this webstie. Why do you feel the need to find a song that says 'maybe it's best not to be a Christian' (like this song) and twist the words to fit your own meaning? Interpret it how you will, but this song is in no way a pro-Christianity song. Stop being so delusional, not everyobody thinks like you.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 6th 2012 !⃝

    YOOOOWCCCHH! I am 51 and very sensitive to aging eramrks (after all I feel very much younger). On the other hand-HOLY COW! How horrible. Very sorry for you. Dump her and establish that early in your marriage. (okay so maybe that is mean, but really, .)

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 26th 2011 !⃝

    God does not help those who help themselves... That is a cultural lie.

  7. lyricsarawesome
    click a star to vote
    Apr 13th 2011 !⃝

    I settled down
    A twisted up frown
    Disguised as a smile, well
    You would have never known
    (It's about disguising feelings, not admitting your true feelings.)


    I had it all
    But not what I wanted
    Cause hope for me
    Was a place uncharted
    And overgrown
    (She didn't want to love him, but it was unavoidable. She didn't want to hope, but at the same time, it overwhelmed her.)

    You'd make your way in
    I resist you just like this
    (She's scared to admit she loves this person. She doesn't want to love, yet can't control him.)

    You can't tell me to feel
    The truth never set me free
    So, I did it myself
    (She won't tell herself the truth. She lives under the pretense that she doesn't love, but she knows deep down she does.)

    You can't be too careful anymore
    When all that is waiting for you
    Won't come any closer
    You've got to reach out a little more
    More
    More
    More, more
    (People can sneak into your heart easily. It's not always the person you think should be there, but the person is there all the same.)


    Open your eyes like I opened mine
    It's only the real world.
    A life you will never will know
    (She's knows they are different. She wants him to grow up, take things more seriously, make the fact that she loves him easier for her to accept.)

    Shifting your weight
    To throw off the pain
    Well you can ignore it
    But, only for so long
    (She can try as hard as she likes to ignore the pain he causes her, the indecision, the heartbreak. But she knows she'll have to accept it some day.)

    You look like I did
    You resist me just like this
    (She sees now that he feels the same.)

    You can't tell me to heal
    And, it hurts remembering
    How it felt to shut down
    (She still won't let him in. She doesn't want to love him. She doesn't want a reminder that she fell for the wrong person.)

    That's my opinion anyhow. I think we all interpret lyrics differently, there is no right and wrong.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 18th 2011 !⃝

    i tried looking this up and got this from answers.com. it says it's from an interview from Hayley, but doesn't give any specifics. this should clarify the "...truth never set me free, so i did it myself..." portion if the "truth" is how you should believe in God. the answer i pasted wasn't written clearly to me so i interpreted the interpretation, but left the exact paste underneath it. i hope it helps, it did for me.

    it's about how a person shouldn't just believe in God the way people tell them to (at face value). and that you have to find God in your own life. you reach out by taking steps toward God (having a relationship with him) and to others through witnessing.

    "it's about God and you can't believe in God how people tell you to and that you have to find out what he means to you. You can't wait for him to reach out to you, you have to reach out too.

    From an Interview with Hayley"

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 27th 2010 !⃝

    This song may not all be about Christianity and Jesus, and as aprylxx said, may just say that you may not always be in your comfort zone, but its for the best. But there are parts that seem to reference to religion. It can be viewed many ways, depending on your religion and ideas.

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 23rd 2010 !⃝

    The only thing that worries me is that in the beginning she says "the truth never set me so i DID it myself" and at the end she says "the truth never set me free so ill DO it myself".. If shes talking about life AFTER finding Jesus then shes contradicting herself

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 16th 2010 !⃝

    Maybe they didn't mean that way.....but to me is blasphemy since any christian know that Jesus is the only way, the TRUTH and the life...and in John says "TRUTH (Jesus) will set you free".....so...this song is saying (according to biblical basis) ..Jesus never set me free, so I will do it myself...(??)...

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 25th 2010 !⃝

    I think it's an opposition to God. John 8:32 ..the truth will set you free. which contradicts the bridge part.

  13. Jenkins
    click a star to vote
    Mar 17th 2010 !⃝

    I think that Hayley's speaking about a boy who likes her, but doesn't want to let her know how much, so he's "careful".


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