Show Me

Album: Learning To Crawl (1984)
Charted: 28
Play Video
  • Show me the meaning of the word
    Show me the meaning of the word
    'Cause I've heard so much about it
    They say, "Hey, you can't live without it"

    Welcome to the human race
    With its wars, disease and brutality
    You with your innocence and grace
    Restore some pride and dignity
    To a world in decline

    Welcome to a special place
    In a heart of stone that's cold and gray
    You with your angel face
    Keep the despair at bay
    Send it away, and

    Show me the meaning of the word
    Show me the meaning of the word
    'Cause I've heard so much about it
    I don't want to live without it
    I don't want to live without it
    Oh, I want love
    I want love
    I want love

    Welcome here from outer space
    The Milky Way is still in your eyes
    You found yourself a hopeless case
    One that's seeking perfection on earth
    That's some kind of rebirth, so

    Show me the meaning of the word
    Show me the meaning of the word
    'Cause I've heard so much about it
    Don't make me live without it
    Oh, love
    I want love
    I want
    Love
    I want love Writer/s: Christine Ellen Hynde
    Publisher: Hipgnosis Songs Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Honest Jon from GearhartIt's about Jesus. Jesus is often referred to as The Word. One example is John 1:1-5 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [a]comprehend it.
  • Jim Vutetakis from Chardon, OhI may be wrong but I've always thought this was a tribute to the recently deceased John Lennon.
  • Eduardo Alvarez from Davie, FlThis represents a secular way of presenting Christianity to everyone, definitely can only be understood by people that has been exposed to the faith - which in reality, is the foundation that support our lives (directly when embraced, indirectly when not).
    Yes, Jesus is truly out-of-this-world, both 100% divine & 100% earthly.

    Thank you Lord for inspiring Chrissie (Christine /follower of Christ) to reveal your beauty and love for us all.
  • Hadrian29 from ChicagoThe song is clearly about the arrival of Superman to Earth as a baby. "Welcome here from outer space..."
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 11th 1984, "Show Me" by the Pretenders entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #74; and seven weeks later on April 29th, 1984 it peaked at #28 for one week...
    It reached #8 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
    Was track five on quartet’s third studio album, 'Learning to Crawl', and the album reached #5 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
    Three other tracks from the album also made the Top 100 chart; "Back on the Chain Gang" {#5}, "Middle of the Road" {#19}, and "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" {#83}.
  • Mark from Yorba Linda, CaI read that the song was written after the birth of her first child. The inspiration is the unconditional love between a mother and her child.
  • Jim from Hammond, Ini wonder if this song has something to do with Jesus? asking him to show them what love is? as if asked by someone who met him in that time?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jello Biafra

Jello BiafraSongwriter Interviews

The former Dead Kennedys frontman on the past, present and future of the band, what music makes us "pliant and stupid," and what he learned from Alice Cooper.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.