I'm finally asking what this lyric means.

[journeymom]

I guess you're just what I needed
(just what I needed)
I needed someone to feed
I guess you're just what I needed
(just what I needed)
I needed someone to bleed.

I've been wondering for 25 years now why he needs someone to bleed. Is this a drug reference? An S&M reference? A reference to antiquated medical practices? Is it just the Cars being archly hip?

Rhymes with feed?

[Ruthla]

And all this time I thought it said "I needed someone to need."

[Famatigia]

I believe they are talking about emotions. You know, the term... A bleeding heart?

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by Famatigia

I believe they are talking about emotions. You know, the term... A bleeding heart?

OK, I'll go for that. So his heart bleeds for her? If the sentence were grammatically correct he'd say, 'I needed someone to bleed for'.

[kate42]

Ric Ocasek is a vampire?

[LaLaLaLa]

Maybe the give and take of relationships? You feed someone to give them strength, then bleed them to weaken them again? Like sometimes in a relationship you're really loving and attentive, but at other times you're a real jerk and need someone to be able to tolerate those bad times, too?

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by kate42

Ric Ocasek is a vampire?

I can totally believe that!

Originally Posted by LaLaLaLa

Maybe the give and take of relationships? You feed someone to give them strength, then bleed them to weaken them again? Like sometimes in a relationship you're really loving and attentive, but at other times you're a real jerk and need someone to be able to tolerate those bad times, too?

That works.

[BookGoddess]

I think they were looking for something to rhyme with feed and bleed came to mind.

[lauradbg]

Originally Posted by journeymom

OK, I'll go for that. So his heart bleeds for her? If the sentence were grammatically correct he'd say, 'I needed someone to bleed for'.

No. It would have been, "I needed someone for which to bleed." No ending with a preposition...

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by lauradbg

No. It would have been, "I needed someone for which to bleed." No ending with a preposition...

THANK YOU! I knew that sounded awkward.

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by lauradbg

No. It would have been, "I needed someone for which to bleed." No ending with a preposition...

But, uh, wouldn't it be "someone for WHOM to bleed"?

[Deefodil]

I love figuring out lyrics.

[obiandelismom]

Ok, I always thought that first part was "I needed someone to FEEL"...

[MysteryMama]

To need someone to bleed, imo, would be to need someone to drain. Think of the saying "he/she bled me dry" as in reference to an expensive date. I don't think it's limited to money though... could be an emotional draining rather than a financial one, which makes sense considering the needy context.