That Look You Give That Guy

Somehow, after repeated listening, I find the lyrics remain fresh and evocative. There is a directness and simplicity to the hook that really highlights the honesty of the feeling.

I guess we don't quite know what "that look" really is, but I always interpret it as "admiration", and the singer's desire is to become admirable, rather than just to get "that look" without deserving it.

It's part of the spell of the song that we put aside doubts about the singer's logic. We might have some ability to make ourselves more admirable, but we certainly don't have the ability to make others appreciate us and to give us "that look". But who would want to interrupt and quibble over another's direct and guileless expression of a desire to become more admirable, and more deserving of that look?

The singer may be romanticizing. He's willing to give up everything, just for that look. But could that look last? would it be worth everything, even if sincere? What happens next? And would he truly be worthy of that look into the future, or would it just be some trick or illusion that one or both of them suffer from? After all, the "real" person, the protagonist, isn't admirable enough yet, and what could this alternate version of himself be but a kind of phony? We sense the fragile confidence the singer has that he can make a positive change, and become strongly drawn into his cause -- we're rooting for him to get that look, because it means that we too might become more admirable ourselves, and someday someone might notice and appreciate this.

We might deserve that look, and get it too.

By the way, Lotte Kestner does a cover of this song that is just as beautiful and haunting as the original. Her version is very faithful to the original. She changes a few pronouns and such, so that she's singing about a guy that's looking at another girl. In one way these sentiments are universal, but in another way, its as if it is an entirely different song.