Can't Complain

maybe you're right a1recycler, but I see a slightly different meaning.

I see two people that are completely enraptured by eachother, but at the same time completely not ready for a relationship. Two people who are wild and intense, probably young and not ready to settle down. They meet and immediatly fall in love, and the story goes on from there. The beginning lines mark the extremes in the relationship, the happiness and then the downfall. The next part is how they met-she was going to go on a date with his friend and he didn't show up, so they decided to go out instead. The next part seems to be a whirlwind of a weekend. They go into a relationship knowing he can lie, and basically cheat, and therefore she's not allowed to complain when it will inevitably happen. They go on to move in together, and i agree with a1recycler, the best line is "i guess we kidnapped eachothers minds". I see it as more of a love thing though, not a sign of boredomn. They completely captivated eachoether, at least for the time being. Then of course: the demise of the relationship where he does in fact cheat, and the "can't complain" part of the song becomes relevant. They were completely in love and possibly she thought she had been the solution to a once-cheater. But, alas, she was not. And since she was warned-she can't complain.

i'm guessing it's about karma, because it goes from what she did, to what he did, and back and forth, but i'm not sure about the actual story laced in it.

I really get the feeling of a stale relationship. Both are in a pretty serious relationship because they've got nothing better to do. It in a sense has killed their sense of adventure, but that's what they wanted, so they can't complain.

"she couldn't see the end of me, nor could I" I feel like that is saying that she didn't have real reason to end the relationship, so they just stuck it out.

"I told her I could love her, I told her I could lie" "But remember I warned her, and I'm a guy" that's basically him excusing the cheating because he basically told her that he wasn't all into the relationship if he said he could lie.

and the line I love: "I moved in and we locked ourselves inside I guess we just kidnapped each other's minds" I really feel like this is saying that when they moved in together, they hit the wall. Meaning they became completely boring and repetitive. Kidnapping the mind's to me is symbolic of stifiling their creativity or desire to try new things.

But that's me, I could be wrong, maybe it's a terrible tragedy.

Lyrics are

She didn't care she saw me in her life I left it up for her to decide She couldn't see the end but neither could I So I can't complain, I guess I can't complain

Just an idea up for kicking around. At first I thought that he was making the statement saying she doesn't have a right to complain, but now I'm thinking that he's really just trying to justify what he did "I cheated on her with a friend of mine" and how the relationship is falling apart throughout the whole song by telling himself that she can't complain.

anyone ever seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? the message of this song kinda reminds me of the final conversation between Joel and Clementine in the hallway.

it's about the joy and pain, resolution and confusion, and all the other paradoxical things involved in a relationship. the song (like the movie) is just saying that there are things that you agree to put up with if you want to have that experience of being close to someone. even though they know it'll likely end in pain and bitterness, they both "can't complain" because what they shared was worth it. love, like everything, doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

I really agree with AquilaIncerta and TheeAbecedarian... he's just trying to justify tweo things: his hurting her, and his getting hurt. Like he says that he told her he could lie, he's a guy, etc., so he's saying these things as if he's telling her "you were forewarned," but he's more than likely he's telling them moreso to himself, as if he's saying "We knew this would happen, and it did" but both of them were too happy or too scared to stop it.

this is one of my favorite songs EVER.

well she can't complain, because she would be a complete hypocrite.

i definately adore this song.

I don't believe that the relationship is too serious or the two are not mature enough, etc. The disfunction comes from a fundamental mismatch. Whether that is because they are in different places or have different values and expectations is up in the air. Regardless, it is about the tragedy that settling brings into a relationship. A very sad song.