Shoebox

Produced by

Barenaked Ladies & Michael Phillip Wojewoda

Shoebox is the final song off of Barenaked Ladies' “Born on a Pirate Ship” album. It was also used in the soundtrack for the sitcom Friends. The song is about a younger boy… Read More

Mar. 19, 19961 viewer

Shoebox Lyrics

[Verse 1]
A key in the door, a step on the floor
A note on the table, and a meal in the micro
Note says "I'm in bed, please make sure that you're fed
If you're taking a shower, you can borrow my bathrobe
And when I'm asleep I dream you move in next week"
I crumple the note and save it to put inside

[Chorus]
My shoe box
Shoe box of lies

[Verse 2]
It's under my bed, it's never been read
It's in with my school stuff and my mom never cleans there
From my first little fib, when I still wore a bib
To my latest attempt at pretending I'm someone
Who's not seventeen, and doesn't know what you mean
When talk turns to single malts, or Stilton, or

[Chorus]
My shoe box
Shoe box of lies
Shoe box
Shoe box of lies

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[Bridge 1]
Did somebody tell you
This is how it's supposed to be?
Or did you just find it
And you don't want any more from me?

[Verse 3]
Was it something I said, or was it something you read
That's making me think that I should never have come here
I can offer you lies, I can tell you goodbye
I can tell you I'm sorry, but I can't tell you the truth, dear
And what if I could - would it do any good?
You'll still never get to see the contents of

[Chorus]
My shoe box
Shoe box of lies
My shoe box
Shoe box of lies

[Bridge 2]
You're so nineteen-ninety
And it's nineteen-ninety-four
Leave this world behind me
'Cause you don't want me anymore

[Outro]
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie
Lie

About

Shoebox is the final song off of Barenaked Ladies' “Born on a Pirate Ship” album. It was also used in the soundtrack for the sitcom Friends. The song is about a younger boy and an older woman who are in a secret relationship.

The music video was meant to feature Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow from the sitcom, but they both decided not to do the video before the video was made. Instead, the female actor is unknown and the male actor is the infamous Chris Hardwick.

The music video also contains the Ladies performing inside the girl’s shoebox. Kevin Hearn appears in the video playing a marimba. He also starred in their music video for The Old Apartment as a guitarist. However, he had no actual involvement with Born on a Pirate Ship and started playing keyboards for them in Stunt.

According to (former) frontman Steven Page, Shoebox almost didn’t make it on to Born on a Pirate Ship. However, after the band decided to omit a live version on Rock Spectacle, the band decided to keep the song in the album.