This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
She / she used to live with his brother
Now she's an unmarried mother / with another / on the way
He's seond rate / twisted out of shape
and he looks a state, it costs so much to look this rough
They go to town / they like to shop around / and look at all those things
All those things they never wnated anyway / She hates his hair
that stupid coat he wears / but sometimes second best
is the best that you can get
Oh yes / oh somebody told me / 'cos seconds turn to hours
and the hours turn into days / but still it feels like morning
The first time leaves its trace / and then slides into second place
and still it feels like morning / At night they try to fly
hold on tight and close their eyes / and they hit the ground in the morning
But in the morning it's raining / Oh Christ you're always complaining
can't you think of something else / It's nearly-nu
a bargain basement made for two / and if you blur your eyes
you could be anywhere / you want yourself to be
Oh yeah, it's bad / I know you want to laugh, so laugh
But sometimes second best / Is all that you can get
Oh yeah / oh somebody told me / the seconds turn to hours
and the hours turn into days / but still it feels like morning
The first time leaves its trace / and then slides into second place
and still it feels like morning / At night they try to fly
hold on tight and close their eyes / and they hit the ground in the morning
But you're so perfect you don't interest me at all
You're golden boy fell down / Don't you know / he hasn't got a personality?
And I know / he said he'd last all night then gave you seconds / yeah
The seconds turn to hours / and the hours turn into days
but still it feels like morning / The first time leaves its trace
and then slides into second place / and still it feels like morning
At night they try to fly / hold on tight and close their eyes
and they hit the ground in the morning / My God they're still alive
they got it wrong but they still tried / and they made it through to the
morning.
Now she's an unmarried mother / with another / on the way
He's seond rate / twisted out of shape
and he looks a state, it costs so much to look this rough
They go to town / they like to shop around / and look at all those things
All those things they never wnated anyway / She hates his hair
that stupid coat he wears / but sometimes second best
is the best that you can get
Oh yes / oh somebody told me / 'cos seconds turn to hours
and the hours turn into days / but still it feels like morning
The first time leaves its trace / and then slides into second place
and still it feels like morning / At night they try to fly
hold on tight and close their eyes / and they hit the ground in the morning
But in the morning it's raining / Oh Christ you're always complaining
can't you think of something else / It's nearly-nu
a bargain basement made for two / and if you blur your eyes
you could be anywhere / you want yourself to be
Oh yeah, it's bad / I know you want to laugh, so laugh
But sometimes second best / Is all that you can get
Oh yeah / oh somebody told me / the seconds turn to hours
and the hours turn into days / but still it feels like morning
The first time leaves its trace / and then slides into second place
and still it feels like morning / At night they try to fly
hold on tight and close their eyes / and they hit the ground in the morning
But you're so perfect you don't interest me at all
You're golden boy fell down / Don't you know / he hasn't got a personality?
And I know / he said he'd last all night then gave you seconds / yeah
The seconds turn to hours / and the hours turn into days
but still it feels like morning / The first time leaves its trace
and then slides into second place / and still it feels like morning
At night they try to fly / hold on tight and close their eyes
and they hit the ground in the morning / My God they're still alive
they got it wrong but they still tried / and they made it through to the
morning.
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I absolutely love this little unknown gem. Would it be wrong to see this as an equally cynical, perhaps even darker--albeit less angry--precursor to "Common People" and other songs from "Different Class"?
We get a bitter lesson on class & love as only as Jarvis can make it, and the incessant passing of time. In all, a great stomp-along, think-your-heart-out song.
Possibly the best on The Sisters EP
@Wallamanage - I love all the tracks on that EP, but for me “your sister’s clothes” edges this one out with its brilliant musical composition... that’s just me tho :)
this is such a satisfying song... the last chorus with ‘my god they’re still alive’ is just banging.
precursor to common people? probably not. just another song about jarvis' horror of domesticity. brilliant. i love it.