End Of The Affair

In spite of the title being End Of The Affair, I think this song isn't about a love affair which I think most people associate with but instead an affair (like an issue) about love. Specifically, it's about the stages of moving on after a breakup.

"The end of the after" I think it relates to the period where, after a breakup, there are those moments where you still talk to your former lover and there's always the thought of a rekindling but in this case, it has ended.

"The weight of a war The kindness gone to bed" This is the point where all the arguments and talking (the war) together with the kindness that they had for each other has disappeared (gone to bed). From my experience, this is the moment where you just realize that you just can't. There's no way to keep talking without affection after a breakup.

"The weight of your laughter Alive in the hall Did he hear, did he hear the fumbled words you said" I believe this is a bit after the breakup and you start hearing that she's starting to move on. She's starting to be happy and someone else is around her and you start to wonder if he's taken your place (fumbled words being how when people are in love and they tend to be shy when around their 'crush').

"Living without her Living at all Seems to slow me down Living forever Hell I don't know Do I care do I care the thunder's rumbled sound" This is that point after a breakup, where every moment seems so bleak without her. It's hard because you still think about her so much and care but not having her living by you just seems to make life seem not worth living anymore. And when friends (thunder's rumbled sound, with thunder being the sounds/voices) come to help, you just listen to their advice but you know it's just passing through one end and out the next because you're still deeply in love with her.

"And now I watch her Running 'round in love again Now I talk about you When I'm with our mutual friends" This is at that point where you and her are supposed to have moved on. You've heard (and probably saw) that she's with another person and talking about her when you're around mutual friends is difficult because you have to pretend that you don't love her anymore when you probably still do.

"This is it This is just it Go to him What the hell, love? What the hell?" This is the frustrating part when one has moved on and one hasn't. In this, you just can't contain yourself anymore (not that you have been in control). You vent your frustration and anger after learning that she's with someone else. And then you start questioning everything. Questioning love. Questioning life. Questioning it all. (What the hell).

In all, I think yeah, this is a song about the post-breakup cycle. The part where you just can't talk to each other and after a while you think you're okay. But the moment you see her with another lover, all the memories come flooding back and you just become angry and frustrated and all the things people hate. And the worst thing is, you have to pretend you're okay when you're amongst mutual friends. You have to let her have her happiness and you'd rather yourself be hurt than to hurt her again.