This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
There was a love affair in this building
The kind of love affair
Which every respectable building must keep as a legend
Slowly festering through an innocent "by the way"
Or "have you heard"
He was perfect except for the fact that he was an engineer
And mothers prefer doctors and lawyers
Do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do
Do-do-do-do, dum-dum-dum-dum
Yet despite this imperfection
He was clean-looking and respectable-looking
And you'll never find a mother
Who doesn't appreciate a natural man
So he grew healthy aloe vera plants by the window
Healthy teeth in his mouth
Healthy hair on his head, oh
He grew healthy wavy brown hair on his head
The kind, the kind that babies always go for
With sticky little fingers
Do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do
Do-do-do-do, dum-dum-dum-dum
Ah-dum, ah-dum-da-da
The kind of love affair
Which every respectable building must keep as a legend
Slowly festering through an innocent "by the way"
Or "have you heard"
He was perfect except for the fact that he was an engineer
And mothers prefer doctors and lawyers
Do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do
Do-do-do-do, dum-dum-dum-dum
Yet despite this imperfection
He was clean-looking and respectable-looking
And you'll never find a mother
Who doesn't appreciate a natural man
So he grew healthy aloe vera plants by the window
Healthy teeth in his mouth
Healthy hair on his head, oh
He grew healthy wavy brown hair on his head
The kind, the kind that babies always go for
With sticky little fingers
Do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do
Do-do-do-do, dum-dum-dum-dum
Ah-dum, ah-dum-da-da
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What I love about the lyrics is that you're not sure exactly what the affair is etc. I mean, is the mother the mother of the man's lover, or is the MOTHER the lover? And whose is the child? Is it his, or another man's (the man who made the mother the mother).
I don't know about the child, but I reckon it's the mother who's having the affair - "you'll never find a mother who doesn't appreciate a natural man."
what i think - daughter brought home man. man was an engineer - mother didn't like that and didn't think he was good enough for daughter. man was "healthy" and "natural" - mother appreciated THAT. mother becomes attracted to man and has an affair with daughter's lover; or, man.
:]
In response to newsies234's comment, I don't think that the affair was necessarily a happy one. It wasn't that the building wanted the affair as a legend, but it was obligated to have it as a legend. And the term "respectable" (as in "every respectable building") is kind of in quotes to me. Like it doesn't make the building respectable, it just makes it home to juicy gossip. And since it's called a "love affair", it has something of an illicit connotation (to me, at least).
Anyway, all I know about this song is that there was a love affair in a building, and people are talking, and he's a good looking man, and someone's mother has some sort of role or opinion. I like this song because it's leaves so many holes. The song itself represents gossip to me. Albeit in a very catchy manner.
And I always thought it was "an innocent by-the-wayer", a by-the-wayer being someone who happened to say "by the way" a lot. Then the by-the-wayer is saying, "Have you heard?..." So perhaps it would be more appropriate to call the by-the-wayer a have-you-hearder. Um...
mmmm. Regina Spektor is so friggin amazing. I wish all her albums were released and ready for me to buy. She has such witty lyrics and great music.
Regina Spektor is amazing. I can't get enough of Soviet Kitsch. I love this song.
This song reminds me of Fiona Apple for some reason, I love it.
Corrections about the lyric
I've always tought that it was 'ware' and not 'way'... As if the news about the love affair is spreading all around the building and that it's first class-gossip around the ware. I also think that the "Have you heard? He was perfect..." is a quate from the converations at the ware.
No. It's definitely "by the way."
I think it might sound like "ware" because the word "or" is right after "way", and she kinda blends them together.
i think she says "wire" ... as in the story grows through gossip. maybe?