Song Meaning
Sharon Van Etten's repetitive mantra, "This Is Too Right," isn't a celebration of correctness, but a dissection of misperception and the suffocating weight of being misunderstood. The core of the song meaning lies in the frustration of being seen as someone else, a ghost of a former affection: "You have mistaken me for someone you used to like." It's a pointed jab at the listener, accusing them of projecting a past ideal onto the present reality of the singer. The phrase "too right" becomes laced with sarcasm, an acknowledgement that the listener's perception is so fundamentally flawed, it circles back to being tragically, ironically "right" in their own limited view.
The lyrics hint at a power imbalance and the imposition of expectations. "I can count on one hand / Your misconception rights," Van Etten sings, highlighting the sheer volume of misinterpretations she endures. The line, "You call me every time you need rules," suggests she's become a figure of authority or a moral compass for someone who can't navigate life without external guidance. This role, forced upon her, is another facet of the "mistaken" identity, further fueling her exasperation. The weariness is palpable, seeping into the lines about sleeping until "10, til 12 or 2:30," a listless surrender to the emotional fatigue of constantly correcting someone's skewed vision.
"This Is Too Right" captures the psychological burden of constantly being defined by someone else's narrative. The repetition of the title phrase mirrors the cyclical nature of the conflict, the endless loop of being misconstrued and having to push back against it. It's a quiet, simmering rage directed at the listener's refusal to see the singer for who she truly is, instead clinging to a distorted image of the past or a convenient projection of their own needs. Ultimately, the song is a claustrophobic exploration of identity, expectation, and the struggle for authentic recognition.
