I Can Change

I prefer to think the change from 'Never change' to 'I can change' as one person, who is so in love that he wouldnt change a thing, then when he realises she doesnt feel quite the same, he is willing to.

I like to think of it that way, its more tragic, like he's desperate to cling on, and willing to sacrifice his principles. Or something

It's not: "Never change, never change, never change, never change Never change, never change, never change That's just too up there in love with"

That doesn't even make sense.

It's: "Never change, never change, never change, never change Never change, never change, never change That's just WHO I FELL in love with"

Love is an open book To a verse of your bad poetry And this is coming from me

I'm just now realizing the humor in the last part of the line. At first blush, it seems to fit into the song as part of the back and forth between the 2 parties (never change/I can change. But, taking into account James Murphy's unfortunate reputation as a terrible lyricist, the line becomes both a poke at (or nod to) critics, and extra "punctuation" for the idea that love is sh*t, which it is.

I think this song is about a relationship that is about to end or where the subject of the song is cheating on the author, and the author doesn't understand, doesn't want it to be true - He loves the other person, and doesn't want her (using him/her for the purposes of this comment) to leave and doesn't want things to change between them.

There's a "divide", he suspects she's cheating ("maybe that's what your lover finds all night"), she's lying to him ("tell me a line"), he's looking for that spark that they used to have together but doesn't think her happiness is for him ("there's love in your eyes"), they're having problems ("fumble in the kitchen", "here comes another fight").

At the beginning of the song, she's keeping him in the "dark" about the situation (lying), and he likes it there because he doesn't want her to leave. He's in denial, doesn't want it to be true. He hopes he's just imaging things "hoping and hoping that the feeling goes away" and that she's not really cheating on him (it's just a feeling after all... isn't it?). If she "calls" him tonight, everything is ok. Otherwise, it's probably over. "Yeah, we know".

He's fighting, struggling between two difficult places - losing, the end is near - morning has him "on the ropes" = "Etymology: from the idea of a weakened prize fighter who leans against the ropes that surround the boxing ring" (source: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/on+the+ropes)

By the end of the song he's changed his tune a little bit - He wants her to "turn on the light" - the light is either the truth or her love for him. He is searching for that love, but is pretty sure it's not for him, so he pleads (another stage of loss/mourning) and offers to change. If it gets her to love him, if it makes her stay, he offers to change. But it's probably too late, and he probably can't or shouldn't change anyway.

Sad song, beautiful song, great song.

Best song on the new album.

This song is also an obvious (and great) homage to the Eurythmics song "Love Is A Stranger"

"But maybe that's just what your lover finds all night"

I always heard: "But maybe that's just your love of fights. All night." - Implying that when they fight they do it all night. Yeah.

Actually it's:

So ring the alarm Ring the alarm Bar me and hold me and cling to my arm

"shoved in a hearse"

I hear "But there's love in your eyes Love in your eyes Love in your eyes But maybe that's just in love of fights All night"