Henrietta

Well, I really don't credit myself to know exactly what they meant by the lyrics, but I will say from the video it seems to me that this is a woman whose job it is to care, cook and clean for a man she does not love. She meets some young men who appreciate her handiwork and falls in love with them & vice-versa (could be platonic, could be something more...), though the young men in question aren't really well-to-do young men.

"Henrietta we got no flowers for you Just these three miserable cunts Sitting on the back seat turning on the off beat We know you love us and you probably do"

They can't offer her anything, because in their youth they don't have the wealth to buy her any fancy jewelry or any pretty dresses; they can barely afford flowers! But she loves them regardless. It almost implies a mother-son relation in that they are children who love their mother and in their youth can only express it in spirit. (The "woo-hoo" sounds make me feel like they're a couple of really young blokes: late teens early twenties.)

"Although your husband may cut us He's such an animal though everything is possible"

This implies that she is in a relationship that even she dislikes, and she can't even leave him because he's so vile.

"Dear Henrietta we're just three lonely boys Though the girls love us we're so Into you incredibly we'd love to see you terribly"

This implies that the men are handsome and could have whoever they wanted, but they only like to pal around with her. It makes her seem kind of like a 'cougar' (if you'll pardon the expression...). They really like spending time with her.

"We'd love to hate you but we don't have no choice Come be our wa ha ha ha Honey, honey three four one time once more"

They don't even know why they're so interested in her (probably the experiance that comes with age...), they've come to need her as a part of their group.

Finally the repeats of:

"Give us a kiss and maybe we can go out It's hard to miss you when you follow us about Buy us some shoes and maybe take us for cola We'll get you there in some filthy big gondola

Clean out the bank and bump off your daddy You can come live with us among the has beens and the addicts These are crazy times down at Costello music You can answer the phone and talk nice anyway you choose it Come on Oh come on Oh come on..."

Notice how they ask HER to buy/do things for THEM (I consider the secretary job to be something they ask of her). She is the dominant party of this relationship (they depend on her) which is probably what she likes most about it, unlike the way her husband gets to make the rules in her home life, she gets to take care of the boys and be in charge. When they state that she follows them, it amplifies the fact that she likes being their help, and she wants them to need/depend on her. That they're offering her a life amoungst has-beeens and addicts means that while with them she won't be living as secure a life as she would with her husband, with them she will have a wild life ('crazy times down at Costello music').

Remember, this is only what I personally think.

Aye

How has NO ONE written about this song? I think this song is about some girl who likes them, and they like her, but she has a husband. Shit meaning, but song still ROCKS!

eee seeing them tomorrow [:

this song is just...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. So good. To dance to and sing. I will see them. ONE DAY. ONE DAY I WILL!

i just wanna jump up and dance. i reckon its about a woman these boys desperately love and just wanna run away with. WAWAWAWAAAAA

This kicks ass! Rock on my little glaswegian babies! mwahaahaa (i sound so evil)

i think this song could be about some girl (henrietta) who was totally obsessed with the band and they kinda went along with it and messed with her. and now they write a song totally taking the piss. but evry song is taking the piss to me, lol brilliant song though, i want to se ethese guys

I heard on XFM more than once that Henrietta was a friend's mum when they were younger that used tpo buy them shoes etc... (lyric: "Buy us some shoes and maybe take us for cola")

i saw the fratellis last night they were amazing! wow i like the idea of henrietta being their friends mum...