Figured You Out

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"Figured You Out"

Single by Nickelback
from the album The Long Road
Released	January 2004
Format	CD
Recorded	?
Genre	Alternative
Length	3:48
Label	Roadrunner
Chart positions
#6 (Canada) #10 (Australia) #65 (U.S.)
Nickelback singles chronology
"Someday" (2003)	"Figured You Out" (2004)	"Feelin' Way Too Damn Good" (2004)

"Figured You Out" is a 2004 single by the band Nickelback, the second one from their 2003 album The Long Road.

[edit] The Meaning of The Song

While there is no clear reference or explanation of the song's lyrics, the lyrics itself are self explanatory: the song centers around a man's relationship with his girlfriend, and his observations about her wild and reckless behaviour including overindulging in alcohol or drugs. The song also contains numerous references to their active sex life and partying lifestyle. The imagery of the man's girlfriend "passed out on the deck", "pass[ing] the check" and other lyrics certainly paint the picture of fun.

In a lyrical trick that would leave the observations of the man about his likes of his relationship with his girlfriend at the start of the song (e.g. "I love the places that we go, I love the people that you know") are in the second verse turned into the very same things he dislikes about her and their relationship. The interpretation that the listener is left to derive is that these things, the ones that he liked about her at first have become to infuriate him; certainly this is the first time that such a lyrical conceit has been tackled, and Kroeger does it with gusto and fantastic wit. Other subtleties of their relationship come through in Kroeger's insightful words, such as normal sex ("I like the wine stains on your dress" or "I like your pants around your feet") or rough, hair-pulling, strictly Canadian sex ("I love your lack of self-respect while you're passed out on the deck, I love my hands around your neck") give way to his dissatisfaction with the same behavior he found appealing at the start of the song ("I love the good times that you wreck"). Once again, Kroeger astounds the listener by making the things he once loved spurned into vitriolic hatred of the same woman.

[edit] Impact

The song was reported to have done poorly on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #65. It was also voted as one of the "Top 100 Worst Love Songs" on VH1. However, fans claim that while the song includes the involvement of "oral sex", it is not an actual love song. Instead most find it as a song that is great to get your girl in the mood for oral sex.

"Figured You Out" enjoyed success elsewhere - It was Number 1 in Canada and was in the top 10 hot singles in Australia and New Zealand. It was also placed in the hot 30 in Australia, often placed in the top 10 hottest songs during its release.

The song was noted to be controversial due to the song's opening line of "I like your pants around your feet", which suggests sexual intercourse. Another suggestive line ("I like the wine stains on your dress") perhaps suggests the presence of semen. The song also suggests either a violent sexual predator, or the domestic violence of an abusive relationship. The song's character is said to like his abuse towards her (as evidenced in the verse 2: I love your lack of self respect, while you're passed out on the deck, I love my hands around your neck). The song's female character is said to be a cheerleader; given the single's cover art of several cheerleaders sitting alongside each other.

Despite its poor performance on the charts, the song still remains to be popular amongst Nickelback fans who cite the unique nature of the song. It proceded Nickelback's previous single "Someday" and was succeeded with the release of Nickelback's next single "Feelin' Way Too Damn Good" All three singles were included in Nickelback's album "The Long Road".

It was the number 1 song of 2004 on Billboard's Year-End Mainstream Rock Chart and it was also the number 1 song of the same year on the Radio & Records Rock and Active Rock charts.