Afterthought Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I might be crazy senses betray me
Are you parading all your lovers to bait me?
You only call me to drive you to safety
But you never stay, must be so easy to play me
[Pre-Chorus]
I can be emotional
If you need me to
[Chorus]
Tell me, what do I say to turn this around?
Ninety-nine days and you think I know how
I can be emotional
If you need me to
Tell me, what do I say to turn this around?
I beg you don't make me say it out loud
No matter what I do
I'm an afterthought to you
[Verse 2]
I'm not complaining but I've noticed lately
When we're alone, it's like I'm keeping you waiting
My hopes are fading 'cause nothing is changing
I'm still so far away from calling you baby
[Bridge]
(Over a choice of feet)
(She's in between the sheets)
(No time for pleasantries)
(No time for pleasantries)
I just wanna love you more (Ah-ah)
[Chorus]
Tell me, what do I say to turn this around?
Ninety-nine days and you think I know how
I can be emotional
If you need me to
Tell me, what do I say to turn this around?
I beg you don't make me say it out loud
No matter what I do (No matter what I do)
I'm an afterthought to you (Afterthought to you)
[Pre-Chorus]
I'm an afterthought to you (Afterthought to you)
I'm an afterthought to you (Afterthought to you)
[Chorus]
Tell me, what do I say to turn this around?
Ninety-nine days and you think I know how
I can be emotional
If you need me to
Tell me, what do I say to turn this around?
I beg you don't make me say it out loud
No matter what I do (No matter what I do)
I'm an afterthought to you (Afterthought to you)
[Outro]
I said no matter what I do (No matter what I do)
I'm an afterthought to you (Afterthought to you)
Just an afterthought to you (Afterthought to you)
I'm an afterthought to you
______________ End _______________
Afterthought Song Meaning (Tame Impala)
Emotional Landscape & Storytelling
From the first lines, “I might be crazy, senses betray me,” the narrator is already on unstable ground, wrestling with internal doubt and an insecure perception of their own instincts. The imagery of being paraded “all your lovers” highlights a painful asymmetry: one partner entwined in their romantic world, while the narrator exists in the margins—called when convenient, then left behind.
The chorus crystallizes the heartbreak: “Tell me, what do I say to turn this around? … No matter what I do, I’m an afterthought to you.” It speaks to pleading, to questioning one’s own agency, and to the vulnerability of loving someone who doesn’t see you as central. The repetition of “afterthought” drives home that crushing sense of being secondary—someone considered only when there’s nothing better.
In Verse 2, the narrator admits noticing subtler shifts: when alone, they feel overlooked; hopes dim as patterns stay unchanged. Even the bridge's hush, “I just wanna love you more,” carries weight, seeping through the conflict without needing dramatic flourish.
Overall, the song renders emotional limbo. It captures what it's like to be stuck between wanting more and fearing it's never going to come.
Creative Context & Real-World Roots
“Afterthought” is one of three songs on Deadbeat co-written by Sarah Aarons alongside Kevin Parker. Parker himself remains the producer and the creative fulcrum. Deadbeat, recorded between 2023 and 2025 in Western Australia (Fremantle and his Wave House studio), channels the energy of his local rave and “bush-doof” culture. Those sonic impulses give pressure and pulse to the album—yet underneath them is a thread of introspection, anxiety, and relational tension.
In a GQ profile, Parker describes reworking “Afterthought” even late into mastering—tinkering with drum attack and vocals—suggesting that its emotional weight was something he couldn’t quite “finish” and walk away from. That sense of hesitation tracks with the song’s narrative: someone unsure how to articulate what they feel, longing for validation yet afraid of the risks.
More broadly, Deadbeat represents a pivot in Parker’s life—fatherhood, fame, introspection—with him acknowledging imposter-like pressures and internal friction. “Afterthought,” in that sense, may tap into relational insecurity that parallels personal insecurity: what happens when you're giving your voice in a larger world, and wonder how much you're heard.
What It Means for Listener & Artist
For listeners, “Afterthought” offers a mirror to relational self-doubt: times when love doesn’t feel mutual, when you demand clarity but fear your words won’t land. It’s not a polished confession—it’s the raw bleed of someone wondering if their care ever mattered.
For Kevin Parker, the song sits at a grouping where he is loosening control—inviting collaboration, embracing imperfections, leaning into emotional tumult rather than trying to polish it all away. As critics note, the Deadbeat era feels less about perfection and more about letting ideas unspool, even when the uncertainty is loud.
So “Afterthought” is not just heartbreak in miniature—it’s vulnerability made audible. It shows someone trying to speak themselves into existence in another’s orbit, even when the orbit is tentative.
__________ __________ ___________
Album: Deadbeat (2025)
Artist: Tame Impala
- My Old Ways
- No Reply
- Dracula
- Loser
- Oblivion
- Not My World
- Piece Of Heaven
- Obsolete
- Ethereal Connection
- See You On Monday (You’re Lost)
- Afterthought
- End Of Summer
FAQ Section
Who sung the song "Afterthought" by Tame Impala?
The song "Afterthought" was sung by Tame Impala.
Who wrote the song "Afterthought" by Tame Impala?
Kevin Parker & Sarah Aarons.
Who produced the song "Afterthought" by Tame Impala?
Kevin Parker.
Music Video
Song Details
Artist: Tame Impala
Album: Deadbeat
Genre: Pop
Language: English
Released: October 17, 2025
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