[General] What's the meaning of 'you toed/towed the line'?

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PedroBernardo

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What's the meaning of the sentence "you towed/toed the line and I know it was mine" from the song Silvergun Superman by Stone Temple Pilots?
 

emsr2d2

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Song lyrics are frequently incomprehensible! The phrase is "toe the line" (which you can Google) so it's "You toed the line" (not "towed"). Lyrics are written to fit the rhythm and rhyme of the song. They don't always make sense. Presumably the "line" in question is deemed to belong to the singer, though what that means is a mystery to me.
 

PedroBernardo

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Understanding some lyrics has been really hard for me :/
 

Skrej

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Song lyrics can be difficult for even native speakers of the language. Not only do the usual grammar rules get twisted or even broken, but the meaning can be deliberately cryptic, and the music itself can obscure the pronunciation. Plus they may contain obscure cultural references, or personal references that are meaningful only to the writer.

Every once in a while, I discover that I've been saying the wrong words to songs I've known for years. :oops:
 
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