Like Treasure

To me this song might be talking about someone who's no longer their friend or lover. "You will keep forever, I'll bury you like treasure" - could mean that they're burying their feelings, the person is dead to them, locked in time?

Wait and see how the hand plays, I think it is:

"wait to see how the hand plays."

One of the best off the album imo.

But what does it mean?

I like the sentence You will keep forever, I'll bury you like treasure Is it a love song?

This is the best song on the album. I believe it's about a lost love that he met again, but feel or sees nothing in her. He buried that part of her deep inside him, intentionally to keep like a "treasure". But he buried her so deep, he can't feel anything for her. He used to be her "shadow".

definite love song. can relate to anyone who you won't see again in this life that you love. it will always be buried like treasure and who knows if it gets found, if ever at all....

It sounds like a story of a reunion after so many years, and he's describing the person mainly from their POV (perhaps with the exception of the bridge--"I used to want to be you," etc.). It turns out that the other person had what they considered fond memories, partly colored by the potential celebrity status of Tom Smith as Editors began to rise in stature around that time. They came sauntering up saying things like, "remember me?" The whole perspective is something more possessive--not as in, "I own you," but rather, "I own memories of you, therefore we are connected." Thus, "You will keep forever, I'll bury you like treasure."

The aforementioned bridge seems more obscure. It seems more likely that the other person looked up to Tom, rather than the other way around. However, I can imagine the bridge being inspired by Tom's revulsion to the realization of the other person's fake or self-serving approach. Tom seems to be referencing vampires or spectres with the line, "Now, where's your shadow? You're see-through." This could be the other person's attempt at a guilt trip, or Tom's reaction to the other person's attachment. Only Tom could say for sure.

"Well, love...isn't felt, no, love is tested." I think this speaks to the other person's state of mind. They don't feel any REAL love for Tom; rather, they seem to think love is a game. A real "old friend" as referenced in the line, "Ain't it just like the old days" suddenly thinks, "Wait and see how the hand plays, living our our second-hand cliches." Compare this to something like, "Love is shown more than felt" (I often say that, myself--similar to "Love is as love does"). What kind of love is this other person showing for trying to cash in on old memories relative to Tom's growing status?