Cardigans, The - Don't Blame Your Daughter (Diamonds) Lyrics

Listening to this as an adult, after so many years of trying to gain my psychological self-reliance and release the damage my family has done in raising me, I understand how well the song depicts the parent/child dynamics most of us get to suffer from and need to heal from...

to whom reference the lysics to her mom?

👌👍💕💖😀😃😄😙😍😉☺😊😄💛💙💜💚❤💓💞💗👆✋👏👏😻😽
Love it

christ, i'm depressed!

as a witch I find this video totally relatable!

MONO!!!

LOVE THIS SONG !!

Use to hear this song in repeat mode during my student times at University... hard sentimental times for me but this song made me feel I was alive and kicking!!!

...i'm old

This song unique ! A pause in the chorius

i love this song 💔

Don't blame your daughter
that's just sentimental
and don't blame your mom
for all that you've done wrong
Your dad is not guilty
you came out a little faulty
and the factory closed
so you can't hold them liable
You come from an island,
you're cutting diamonds
with a rubbery knife
Your autograph is worthless
so don't send me letters
and don't mail me cash
'cause your money is no good
What's left in your matress
is holes and lack of love left
some hair from a horse,
and none of it is yours, man
You come from an island,
you're cutting diamonds
with a rubbery knife
And the song you sing today
wasn't always in your head,
the words you tryin' to say
are the ones you shouldn't 've said
they're glistenin' like diamonds,
go out and find' em
but don't blame your daughter
Read me your tombstone,
tell me you're sorry, fax me your will,
you owe me something still
Blood is like water
the bath that you poured me
has drained and it's gone,
don't blame it on your son
And the song you sing today
wasn't always in your head,
the words you tryin' to say
are the ones you shouldn't 've said
they're glistening like diamonds,
go out and find'em
The world is full of diamonds
go out and find'em
but don't blame your daughter

that song blew up my mind when I was a kid, one of those that made me the person I am

good song, hi from argentine

From Brazil

A favourite song of mine. It's so eerily sad. The clip shows you that. So beautiful.

what an amazing video!

Ok I'll probably get voted down for this but I think I got the idea of the vid. It was driving me nuts to figure it out.

Nina's holding a seance, with men at the end, who're the fathers of the girls you see. They're each wearing their daughters belongings. The girls are the dead spirits. Showing how they died.

First there's the Victorian lady who was holding the jewelry box and looking at the doll dancing longingly. Then shown she's dragging a baby crib? small bed? or child's chair? thru the woods, so I'm guessing she aborted or lost her young daughter and ran off into the woods and died. 

The redhead we see next is crying and sings "you can't hold them liable" and "go out and find them" (find the diamonds i.e. the things he should've said to her) and a few more lines. "don't blame it on your son" part is sung by the guy who I thought was the dad. (But maybe her brother?) I think she felt guilty for something her dad blamed her for and drowned herself with a weight and a fishing net. (Maybe if it is her brother sitting there, he was involved and wasn't told what had happened.)

The blond girl seems to have been a whore. When nina sings, "Some hair from a whore's" the first time, the camera focuses on the blond who looks ashamed. Also just by how she's dressed, bleached blond, and they made sure to show her stockings. And she's riding in a carriage that's black and looks suspiciously like a coffin. You can't see the driver's face, so I'm guessing she was killed by a random guy who paid her for sex, and got shoved in the car knowing he's going to kill her. She is able to scream for help by rolling down the window-(1:30) of the car. But I think he quickly turns around and chokes her. she looks like she gasps for air @ 1:42, and puts her hands around her throat like she's trying to pull something off her neck. and the window is still open (1:44).

The hostile girl in black with thorns, reeds (?) around her neck seems to have been a witch. (?) I thought at first it was rigging rope, but it can't be since rigging doesn't stick out like reeds. I have the hardest time figuring out what her story is. What's around her neck @ 0:41? Some kind of fishing gear? And why is she always looking so mad? What's with the black everything, strange dress thing and no makeup? Here's what I think. She's a witch, with wooden reeds around her neck. She goes out in a boat. The red moon is an ill omen and there's a storm going on (lightning flashes). She's shouting and looking for someone, probably her dad from what she sings. "go out and find them" (words he should have said) is whispered by the blond spirit to the witches dad since witch is still angry and won't talk to him. So I think she went looking for her dad in a storm and got lost in it, but didn't tip over since she kept whatever was on her neck.

And Nina? Her story is tough. Seems like she is or was at some point a like 1940's or 50's nightclub entertainer. (The sparkly white dress, the outfit she wears at the end, and the table she spins on) Or is just channeling her. It could be nina's the mom or the daughter. I think since she's next to a river with her skirt hiked up laying in the grass, she got raped? or just went in the water, idk. The place she is is very romantic-water, moonlight, lightening bugs and a harp (1:24). So maybe she had a romantic rendezvous that went wrong? Since she stares at the water, and stays near it, maybe that's how she died. Either way, I think the gathering of the girls' spirits @ 3:05 shows each person in what they died in. But if that where true why doesn't she (nina's spirit) wear the same white dress? grrr.

@Zib ikit It's actually "hair from a horse." Matresses were stuffed with horse hair in the old days. 


Very interesting theories, though.

Zib Ikit 😢good analysis.

this song... <3

snif* snif* ...BUAAAAAAAAA !!!

Fantastisk!

this song give me chills ! but still super cheerful against melancholy !!  

Nice and melancolic.

dont blame on me mom im still fucking lost in this world

Try Karaoke! there must be some!

Swedish musicians <3

This song is so beautiful.

you ´re right... God bless Sweden

me encanta esta cancion!!!

It seams that most of the fans are not sure what is the song all about.
Long time ago there was a Q&A part on their website. I wasn't sure what inspired the lyrics, so I asked and Magnuss explaned that it's about the idea that each individuall is responsible for their own happiness.

Is it a depressing song?

now you mention it, it has thirty-three and tonight, tonight written all over it

Please if anyone could help me find an instrumental version of this song, not that the song isn't great as well but I really really really freakin' really want an instrumental version, it's perfect for a project I'm working on and now nothing else sounds as good. It has to be this or no go..

LOVE how the lyrics are so random and bizarre but they all make sense together somehow! I remember hearing this on a music channel many, many years ago now and I wouldn't consider it a very well known song, however I always find myself singing it out of the blue sometimes and thinking back to the video because it is so kooky! Love it, true talent x

Super Extra Gravity is the most underrated album of the history of pop-music. It's pure beauty. So deep, well written, melanchonish, bittersweet. This song is a little masterpiece. The fact that such a great work sold poorly makes me think that maybe mainstream audience really deserve nothing more than hip-hop crap and JB... the Cardigans were far too good to be largely appreciated.

@tomplepom ironic since, judging by your channel, you're pretty much the epitome of boring

We need a new cardigans album :(

@tomplepom would it be less boring for you if they released a remix with pitball on? or maybe flo rida is more your thing? Hang on i'll ask them and see what they can rustle up 4 u

Booooooooooring

@Hackeberga The sensible thing to do is probably drink wine when listening! Maybe I need to chill out, but I always want to find meaning or at least understand :)

I love this song

ummm she totally sounds exactly like the singer of Metric xD

something very "tonight tonight" about this video...

still though, bring back star ratings so i can give it 5/5

Nina Persson and Nathan Larson = TWO AWESOME ARTISTS, god bless sweden. for Robyn and The Cardigans !

@jessydoll420 just start plucking around on a cheap one. you dont need lessons. experiment and you'll probably surprise yourself with some of the sounds you make.

..........eleven minutes past four twenty in the morning, and i am stoned, having just discovered this lovely fuckin band :p
I hope i'll end up doing something successful these dayz with all the lyrics i've written, man i need to learn how to play the fuckin guitar. 8l
hah. i can so fall asleep to this shit, this song is somewhat of a lullaby rite now

For some reason my cat loves the Cardigans....when i play Dead space and Techno trance O.o

Cool video.

The world is full of diamonds
go out and find 'em

@madonnafan233 ....like i said, writing something of substance takes intelligence...lol

Great video and song !

I agree with other commentators the song writing is unique, interesting and astonishing. I often wondered if the essence or meaning of these songs are somewhat lost in translation. I think the English verse used is very direct and somewhat brittle, if that makes sense. They are still one of my favourite bands that I keep coming back to. I think they are hugely underated.

@Francesko263 I didn't see that notification for your comment. Yes, Abba are swedish.

@Francesko263 and also is Robyn...

this song and video deserve HD!

@superAweber Abba are swedish, isn't?

is it possible that scandavians are the best singers in the world? i'm not sure but I'm starting to wonder... laid back, beautiful vocals, they don't strain and push as much as western artists.

I think the song is about suicide and lost souls...not being heard... understood...it's not any ones fault...'cutting diamons with a rubber knife"= (failing to get through)...very sad song...I know someone who killed themself...I don't blame them...I hope they didn't blame me...

so... something like parent/child relationship in fairytales?

Homesick...
Love this video!!!

@Ilsepils1995 I've uploaded a higher quality version of this video - check my channel page.

UGH. This quality SUCKS.

Great song! check out danish act Inouwee with the song "In every mirror" if you like this!

u.u taba lady gaga la vieron y sus amigas ajajja

I was looking for a nice cardigan on the internet, but then i met this site and holy shit i'm glad i did.

BLAME THE GOVERNMENT!....And the ones above them...and yourself....

BLAME THE GOVERNMENT!

please don't blame me daddy

God bless I come from am island! lol.

The song sounds really good, I've never heard of this band before. However, the video is very disturbing and unappealing!

Randomly being a bit emotional but that girl crying throughout, especially at 2:14 is a bit depressing

don't blame anyone

You know..Song writing is astonishing. How, who, and what inspires someone to come up with words like this. Even if this was a personal situation for the writer, just to be able to have the inspiration to sit down and write this is nothing more than a gift. Well done.

Wierdest Cardigan video! Love the band, and the song though

@lilasmily yeah, I wasn't referring to that sort of music and you're right, I used the wrong genre. Still, I don't see how the video reflects the song.

@hymntonight

Really not my idea of "very conservative country." Listen to Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood if you want that shit.

I don't think the video fits the song, however good it might be independently. The song is very conservative kind of country rock, the video is eerie and goth and in little or no way reflects the lyrics as far as i can tell.

@LordBluBlood Why are we loosing this generation?

were losing this generation..... fuck :/
*tear tear* look away damnit! its a man crying >:'L

i love the costumes

one word....amazing!!!!!

I just love the Cardigans *sigh*
In a perfect world, they would be appreciated so much more ;_;

@melissajuice I guess you can see it as, don't blame those around you that your life's fucked

@natschavez Totally fucking underrated for sure!

Love it :)

@Ssaaarra posted at year 2006. but still, one of my favorite band ever!

this is beautiful, just like nina, i thought i loved her blonde, im really taken by the fire red..i like this gothy look on her..

Love this video!

@housemoon2
was you on about the track from berghain......my friend?

nice one!

Excellent song...!!
The Cardigans for ever..!!!!

people think this is bad? oh poor deaf people......

Really good song!! if you like this check out danish act INOUWEE, with the song "YOU"

I hate it when 27 people miss the 'like' button.

the cardigans are amazing, i so just cried my eyes out lol.

she looks like a vampire..

I have a qeustion... U have a link where I can download this wonderful song???
Thx :)

Very well directed video for a very well played piece of music. I love the old style ^^ x

its like u dont know the swedish dark side
hehe it will burn and u will understand

love this group!! since i was like 10

nice vid

lilasmily, life's not over. Today's a new day, if you let it. Good luck