Going, Going, Gone

"Long time listener, first time caller", as the saying goes...

I have a habit of cruising around the "Stars" songs on my phone, occasionally finding one that I obsess on, interpreting it in my head, and then coming here to see what the crowdsourced interpretation is.

On this song, I was in a totally different place than any of you, and I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse. IIRC my first listens were to the version where Torq does not sing the "return" of the "call and return" in the chorus and I think that set me off on a very different direction.

To me, cellophane is a metaphor for heroin, since you buy it in cellophane bags. Listen to the whole song with that in mind and it could be interpreted as a piece where Amy/Emily is singing about a friend or a sister, who's killing time between hits, maybe turning tricks to pay for the dope, maybe using gin and lime as a bridge between hits...and worried if maybe she is next.

Or am I totally whacked?

PS I didn't see the spot where Torq talks about the mall, but I have occasionally seen him push interpretations towards very simple meanings, versus the deep ones that we write about here. Who's right or who's wrong? That's why it's poetry - we all see what we want to see. (Worst offender in this case is Carl Newman of the New Pornographers, who more-or-less says the words are chosen only because they rhyme with each other!)

i think hooked on cellophane means that she's addicted to buying new things, which are wrapped in cellophane.

1. it's "love's just another rhyme"

2. "It's gotten to be that way"

3. you forgot the second (Going, Going, Gone) @ the end of the first 'chorus'.

i love the part where she goes "all i see....... yeah yeah"

haaa k, i think that this song is about two people going out a girl and a boy, and the girl thinks that the boy is cheating on her

"I saw you turn your lights out I knew it wasnt right, I watched in fear and doubt"

saying shes watching his every move, and.....

"It's gotten to be that way (Going, Going, Gone) What did you do today?"

now shes saying she has to always ask what did you do to day to make shure hes not cheating on her and she dosnt want it to be like that. hahaahahaha i may be so so far off but thats what i see in these lyrics, i like how they tell a story in most of there songs.

haaa k, i think that this song is about two people going out a girl and a boy, and the girl thinks that the boy is cheating on her

"I saw you turn your lights out I knew it wasnt right, I watched in fear and doubt"

saying shes watching his every move, and.....

"It's gotten to be that way (Going, Going, Gone) What did you do today?"

now shes saying she has to always ask what did you do to day to make shure hes not cheating on her and she dosnt want it to be like that. hahaahahaha i may be so so far off but thats what i see in these lyrics, i like how they tell a story in most of there songs.

I had only heard the Set Yourself on Fire album until I heard them live...this was one of my favourite of their live songs...so beautiful. Anyways.

I believe the first verse can be interpreted quite literally: as a girl who’s blinding herself to a harsh reality by feeding a materialistic urge in a repression. It could quite possibly be with her (ex?) boyfriend’s money, unknowing to him as a sort of revenge (sends you gently for the fall). The ‘cellophane’ refers to a conscious mask that is distorting the reality...that she’s become addicted to seeing her situation in a more favourable light than it actually is. Her compulsive shopping is nourishing her broken heart.

The chorus is most likely about his infidelity, as has been stated. Unsure as to whether they're actually still together.

Again with the cellophane at the end of the second verse, only it shows that the boyfriend has reverted to other methods of repressing his emotions, while also seeing a distorted reality created to be more pleasing to the eye. Enter alcohol! (You're still hooked on cellophane, killing time with gin and lime) He’s been broken and although there’s a good chance he cheated, he doesn’t believe in love (anymore?), and likely nor that he’s even capable of a thing.

There's a bit of my take on the song's meaning. I love Stars, they're so fabulous.

I liked lolol and kikaiyashin's interpretations. I'd been trying to figure it out for myself... and I mostly just figured it was about someone who was felt kind of lost and paranoid and alone.

I love this song. Emily Haines' voice is just beautiful, as usual. I love singing it =)

I think it's from the perspective of an ex-boyfriend. He is quite literally stalking his ex in the mall and seeing that she is buying a lot of stuff, including the red dress later mentioned, in order to ease the pain of the breakup.

It goes on to expose that although the new boyfriend may be happy the women herself is still troubled, jaded, and relatively unhappy with herself.

I agree, Emily Haines' voice is beautiful.

I'm sorry but um the two comments above me..Emily Haines isn't in this band. Amy Millan is the one that sings this song. Yes, Emily Haines does have a lovely voice, but she's not even in this band.