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"
I love you, my hard Englishman
Your rage is like a fist in my womb
Can't you forgive what you think I've done
And love me, I'm your woman
And I desire you, my hard Englishman
And there is no more natural thing
So why should I not get loving?
Don't be cold, Englishman
How come you've never said you love me
In all the time you've known me?
How come you never say you're sorry
And I do?
Oh, please talk to me, Englishman
What good will shutting me out get done?
Meanwhile, crazies are killing our sons
Oh listen, Englishman
I've honored you, hard Englishman
Now I am calling your heart to my own
Oh, let glorious love be done
Be truthful, Englishman
How come you've never said you love me
In all the time you've known me?
How come you never say you're sorry
And I do?
I do
Your rage is like a fist in my womb
Can't you forgive what you think I've done
And love me, I'm your woman
And I desire you, my hard Englishman
And there is no more natural thing
So why should I not get loving?
Don't be cold, Englishman
How come you've never said you love me
In all the time you've known me?
How come you never say you're sorry
And I do?
Oh, please talk to me, Englishman
What good will shutting me out get done?
Meanwhile, crazies are killing our sons
Oh listen, Englishman
I've honored you, hard Englishman
Now I am calling your heart to my own
Oh, let glorious love be done
Be truthful, Englishman
How come you've never said you love me
In all the time you've known me?
How come you never say you're sorry
And I do?
I do
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I think you were right, in regards to the England-Ireland conflict message. If you read it with Englishman, it makes you think of Ireland asking for independence, pleading with England to recognize it as a kindred spirit who desires the same things England does, but for itself. In this context, the "How come you never say you love me" makes me think of Ireland feeling caged and trapped by English rule, with the rulers never acknowledging Ireland or its culture. If you read it with Irishman, then it's England reminding Ireland of the benefits that UK brought to those they ruled over, and begging the Irish to let bygones be bygones. In this context, it makes me think of England asking why Ireland doesn't reciprocate love to England, since England has been giving them so much.
Either way, its amazing.
hmmm..i'm pretty sure it's Englishman..since i bought the tape--yes, cd was sooo expensive at that time-- the lyrics are in the inlay and it's written "englishman".
I agree..it's about the conflict between ireland and england. I don't know much about the situation, who's right, who's wrong.. but with this song, sinead seems to put ireland as the side who suffers mostly,--well, in the fact that she is irish--
she bring this song to show her concern for the conflict, and how she wish that everything will end soon in peace..
btw, the inlay say, this album is ddedicated to the suffering of conflict in ireland, rwanda, aaand..bosnia area if i'm not mistaken..
I agree with what all you before are saying: that she's singing about Ireland and England which can be compared to a woman and a man in a relationship.
"Ah, please talk to me English man What good will shutting me out get done (...) Oh listen, English man"
she's saying that violence (pointing at conflicts between the Irish and englishmen like the Bloody Sunday and so on) doesn't solve anything, that the only thing that'll restore peace and harmony is talking to each other, conversation. England must take Ireland seriously and listen to what the country/woman has to say.
I think she also tries to say that even though Ireland is dependant on England an needs help and guidance, Ireland also needs to prove that it can stand on its own feet perfectly well. England must also not take Ireland for granted, but apreciate it and treat the people who lives there nicely, like they would treat fellow English men.
She had a fling with an English man, whose erections were very hard, and she kind of assumes that they are in a relationship, and can't understand why he keeps ignoring her, but he doesn't love her - he was only after one thing.