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My Wife and My Dead Wife Lyrics

My wife lies down in a chair
And peels a pear
I know she's there
I'm making coffee for two
Just me and you
But I come back in with coffee for three
Coffee for three?

My dead wife sits in a chair
Combing her hair
I know she's there
She wanders off to the bed
Shaking her head
"Robyn," she said
"You know I don't take sugar!"

My wife and my dead wife
Am I the only one that sees her?
My wife and my dead wife
Doesn't anybody see her at all?
No, no no, no, no no no no

My wife sits down on the stairs
And stares into air
There's no one there
I'm drilling holes in the wall
Holes in the wall
I turn round and my dead wife's upstairs
She's still wearing flares
She talks out loud but no one hears

And I can't decide which one I love the most
The flesh and blood or the pale, smiling ghost

My wife lies down on the beach
She's sucking a peach
She's out of reach
Of the waves that crash on the sand
Where my dead wife stands
Holding my hand
Now my wife can't swim
But neither could she
And deep in the sea
She's waiting for me

Oh, I'm such a lucky guy
'Cause I've got you baby and I'll never be lonely
My wife and my dead wife
Am I the only one that sees her?
My wife and my dead wife
Doesn't anybody see her at all?
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Cover art for My Wife and My Dead Wife lyrics by Robyn Hitchcock

This gentleman is a widower, see, and he has recently remarried, and he loves his new bride quite dearly, but he just can't seem to stop obsessing over his first wife who passed away

Cover art for My Wife and My Dead Wife lyrics by Robyn Hitchcock

creepy/creative lyrics, great song btw!

Cover art for My Wife and My Dead Wife lyrics by Robyn Hitchcock

I think they're the same person. He's just remembering the way his wife used to be.

No, he's clearly interacting two different women -- he gets their coffee mixed up. I guess you could say his wife stopped taking sugar in her coffee at some point, but why go to such trouble to make the song less creepy?

Cover art for My Wife and My Dead Wife lyrics by Robyn Hitchcock

I think he suspects that his wife has been cheating and thus he contemplates killing her out of jealousy. That's why he sees her dead in various situations and that's why he makes coffee for three. This explains the verse "Am I the only one that sees her?" - he is just unsure if she's faithful or not, and also why he drills holes in the wall - he wants to spy her to be sure. He is also undecided as to what he likes more - having her killed and keeping a dear memory, or letting her live, "flesh and blood", but likely cheating.

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