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Girlfriend Lyrics

I want to love somebody
I hear you need somebody to love
I want to love somebody
I hear you're looking for someone to love

'Cause you need to
Be back in the arms of a good friend
And I need to
Be back in the arms of a girlfriend

I didn't know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way
I didn't know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way

Don't you need to
Be back in the arms of a good friend
Oh 'cause honey believe me
I'd sure love to call you my girlfriend

Alright

Don't you need to
Be back in the arms of a good friend
Oh 'cause honey believe me
I'd sure love to call you my girlfriend

'Cause you got a good thing going baby
You only need somebody to love
Oh you got a good thing going
You're only looking for someone to love

'Cause you need to
Get back in the arms of a good friend

And I'm never gonna set you free
No, I'm never gonna set you free
12 Meanings

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Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

Actually, this is basically a blues. If you pay attention to the verse pattern, it follows traditional blues format, and it's basically a song about trying to win a girl over who he likes. Pretty simple.

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

Robert Quine rocks the guitar on this track!

He was awesome.

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

madman8199 is right. You first two tried to read way too deep into the song. He really is trying to convince her that, "Hey, we're in the same boat here. You've got nobody right now and you want someone and I want someone, why not?" But he wants it more and he doesn't let on until the very end.

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

But I find the ending stanza too creepy ("I'm never gonna set your free")--almost possessive-ish and/or stalker-ish!

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

I can really identify with this song. He's talking about a girl he's in love with, and he's convinced they would be perfect for each other. Unfortunately, he's never gonna set her free, which means that he knows that it's never gonna happen between them.

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

Actually, this is basically a blues. If you pay attention to the verse pattern, it follows traditional blues format, and it's basically a song about trying to win a girl over who he likes. Pretty simple.

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

While I can see the possessiveness angle, the lyrics probably shouldn't be taken too seriously. It is, as was previously mentioned, a relatively basic blues song (one that seemingly wouldn't receive any popular attention or radio airplay, but thankfully did).

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

It's funny how getting divorced can effect your mind. Matthew seems to have regressed to the mind of a 17 year old here and sometimes, that's not a bad thing. The loneliness of a love shattered can sometimes bring up the spice of youth. Matthew was about 25 when this song was released, but in my mind, he felt like he was 17 again. He was destroyed, yet free and looking.

I've been there Matt, I've been there.

What the hell are you babbling about? You high or something, boy?

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

Quine and Lloyd are just....wow...on this tune!

Cover art for Girlfriend lyrics by Matthew Sweet

That last line must've been the real tripper for most people trying to decipher the meaning of this song. The way it's phrased sounds as if the man is going to have a one-sided relationship to his benefit.

Now that it's already established that this song is just a lighthearted song about a man who wants to start a relationship with a friend of his, the last line can be best interpreted as "No, I'm never gonna set you free [as long as you still love me]"

 
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