Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “I Told You Already” by With the Punches
The song “I Told You Already” by With the Punches is about a relationship that has come to an end. The narrator is reflecting on how things ultimately went wrong, and he is regretting that he didn’t listen to his own advice in the past.
The song starts with a warning – “you don’t know what you’re in for” – suggesting that the narrator already has a sense of the impending Heartbreak down the road. The chorus line “I told you already, it’s not gonna work” makes it clear that the narrator warned the other person about their doomed relationship but they chose to ignore it. This implies the narrator has experienced this type of relationship dynamic before and has internalized lessons from the past.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the relationship was filled with disappointment and misunderstandings. Lines such as “you think you’re right, but you just can’t win” and “we just stand in line, waiting to be let down” exemplify this. The narrator expresses bitter resentment that he invested so much time into a doomed relationship and that much of it could have been avoided if he had just trusted his own judgement and taken his own warning to heart.
The bridge of the song turns the focus away from the narrator, and towards the other person – “you’ve given up and you don’t care no more / cause nothing’s good enough for you”. This could be interpreted as a sign of outgrowing the relationship and being ready to move on – the other person has emotionally detached themselves from the situation. The narrator however remains shrouded in regret, with the last lines of the concluding verse being filled not with resentment, but a resigned sadness: “tear it down, get yourself out / it’s alright, I’m not over you yet”.
In “I Told You Already”, With the Punches have explored the heavy emotions of a failed relationship: regret, anger, disappointment, and finally, a bittersweet sadness. These feelings are universal, and the song serves as a reminder to trust our own judgement – even if it doesn’t always get the result we hoped for.