"I Think I'm Paranoid" is a song written, performed and produced by Garbage and was the second single released from their second album Version 2.0.
The song was released internationally in July 1998, following up on the success of th…
"I Think I'm Paranoid" is a song written, performed and produced by Garbage and was the second single released from their second album Version 2.0.
The song was released internationally in July 1998, following up on the success of the band's prior hit, "Push It". "I Think I'm Paranoid" reached the Top Ten on the UK Singles chart and Airplay charts, while across the Atlantic also becoming a hit on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. "I Think I'm Paranoid" became the biggest hit from Version 2.0 in Italy, where it featured on a 30-second advert campaign for Breil Watches and was placed in rotation by MTV Italy.
The song "I Think I'm Paranoid" by Garbage is a dark exploration of feeling isolated, misunderstood, and manipulated in a relationship. The lyrics speak to a situation of deep insecurity, in which the speaker is constantly on guard and suspicious, feeling betrayed and unable to trust the other person. It appears that despite the speaker's desire to feel connected, they can only bring themselves to bend and break themselves to be "anyway you need me". The chorus sums up their feelings of self-sacrifice and persistent anxiety over the relationship, thus expressing the sentiment that, "as long as I want you, baby, it's alright". Ultimately, the speaker is attempting to navigate their own paranoia and self-doubt in search of validation and understanding.
Lyrics:
You can look but you can't touch
I don't think I like you much
Heaven knows what a girl can do
Heaven knows what you've got to prove
I think I'm paranoid
And complicated
I think I'm paranoid
Manipulate it
Bend me, break me anyway you need me
All I want is you
Bend me, break me, breaking down is easy
All I want is you
I fall down just to give you a thrill
Prop me up with another pill
If I should fail, if I should fold
I nailed my faith to the sticking pole
I think I'm paranoid
Manipulate it
I think I'm paranoid
And complicated
Bend me, break me anyway you need me
All I want is you
Bend me, break me, breaking down is easy
All I want is you
I think I'm paranoid
I think I'm paranoid
Bend me, break me anyway you need me
All I want is you
Bend me, break me, breaking down is easy
All I want is you
Steal me, deal me, anyway you heal me
Maim me, tame me, you can never change me
Love me, like me, come ahead and fight me
Please me, tease me, go ahead and leave me
Bend me, break me anyway you need me
As long as I want you, baby, it's alright
Bend me, break me any way you need me
As long as I want you, baby, it's alright
