It's Not Like Them

Carly Simon · Have You Seen Me Lately [1990]

When Tom came home his hair was combed

He bought snakeskin boots in Rome

That's not like him



His socks are clean, his shirt is pressed

It isn't just the way he's dressed

He smiles out of context and acts so polite

He's stayed at his cousin's overnightstaying changed to stayed



The protein shakes, that's not like him

The carrot cakes, that's not like him

The oatbran flakes, that's not like him

And the sweet name he called me in his sleep last night

Oh, that's not like him



He whispers on the telephone

He goes out smelling of cologne

That's not like him



It's just a superficial thing

But he's misplaced his wedding ring

He's becoming a connoisseur of winechanged become to becoming. Deleted "quite"

He's quoting Yeats and Gertrude Stein



The Soho pub, that's not like him

The racquet club, that's not like him

Those books on love, that's not like him

And the sweet name he called me in his sleep last night

Oh, that's not like him



I caught a glimpse of Tom today

At a checkout counter, about to pay

He had a girl on his arm

I'm glad he's helping out the poor

It's not the Tom I knew beforedeleted "like"

Something so touching it made me cry

But my heart was racing, I don't know why



Those new blue suedes, that's not like himchanged suede to suedes; deleted "shoes"

The Ray Ban shades, that's not like him

Those downtown ways, that's not like him

And the sweet name he called me in his sleep last night

Oh, that's not like him



The red suspenders, that's not like him

The berries in the blender, that's not like him

Those twelve step groups, that's not like him

And Guadeloupe, that's not like him

Those books on Zen, that's not like him

The Karate classes, that's not like him

The fishing gear, that's not like him

Not like him

That's not like him