The Last Time

Okay, so my general rule with duets is trying to analyze the story from the two different perspectives that we're being given. So, I'm doing it verse by verse through the eyes of Taylor and Gary.

"I found myself at your door, just like all those times before But I'm not sure how I got there All roads, they lead me here I imagine you are home, in your room, all alone And you open your eyes into mine and everything feels better"

For this first part, I think he's saying that he knows he always leaves, for whatever reason, whether it be because he's scared of committing to her (which I think is most likely) or because he's doesn't love her as much as she loves him (less likely). But even though he leaves, he always finds his way back to her. And when he comes back, he expects her to be waiting, he can't imagine her moving on (notice he says he imagines her ALL ALONE). He's selfish that way. He knows she makes him feel better, so he selfishly wants to be the only one.

"Right before your eyes I'm breaking No past, no reasons why Just you and me"

I think this is his way of saying, "when you're here, I can break down." He knows she's going to be there for him, even though he's hurt her so much. The last line indicates that he feels like it's everything is okay when it's just them. I think this means he only comes to her when he needs someone to understand him.

This is the last time I'm asking you this Put my name at the top of your list This is the last time I'm asking you why You break my heart in the blink of an eye, eye, eye

Now, I'm considering this 'his' chorus, not hers, since he just told his story. But what the chorus means for him, really is that, he want to be the only person she worries about. He knows he always leaves her, But, again, selfishly, he doesn't want her to move on. He's asking why she tries to. he doesn't understand.

"You find yourself at my door, just like all those times before You wear your best apology But I was there to watch you leave And all the time to let you in just for you to go again Disappear when you come back Everything is better"

Okay, Taylor's turn: This verse is easier. She's waited for him, hoping he'll come back like he always has, but she's grown up (or rather, she thinks she has), because she recounts in her mind all the times she let him come back after he was tired from everything else. But she's still weak, she loves him, and all of her resolve 'disappears' because she forgets the pain because him being there makes her feel loved and wanted and needed and that makes her happy.

"And right before your eyes I'm aching No past, nowhere to hide Just you and me"

Her: Since she's saying this now, I feel like she's telling him, "I'm falling apart because your back, but I fall apart when you're gone, I want wish we could start over. Just you and me." But she knows she can't. There's "nowhere to hide."

"This is the last time I'm asking you this Put my name at the top of your list, This is the last time I'm asking you why You break my heart in the blink of an eye, eye, eye"

Since this is 'her' chorus, she's saying: I want you to put me first, stop leaving me. I don't want you to go out there looking for yourself, I want you to stay with me. But I think she knows this is useless. She knows he's going to leave her. And she's swearing this is the last time she's asking, but I think it's more of an intimidation.

"This is the last time you tell me I've got it wrong This is the last time I say it's been you all along This is the last time I let you in my door This is the last time, I won't hurt you anymore, ohh"

Okay, this'll have two interpretations (hers & his): Hers: I think he's telling her "You are on top of my list, you've always been there, you've got it wrong, you're my priority." but she knows she's not (hence the first line). Then, the third line is her telling him, this is it. She can't take this anymore. Decide.

Him: I think he's saying (as I mentioned earlier), "It's always been you. YOU are my priority, not anything else." And I LOVE this last line. Because the ending is up to the listener. You don't know if he's going to leave and not come back (and therefore, not hurt her anymore) or if he's going to stay and make her happy. Knowing Gary as I do, I seem the writing as him leaving because he recognizes how much he's hurt her and he blames himself for it.

"This is the last time I'm asking you this Put my name at the top of your list This is the last time I'm asking you why You break my heart in the blink of an eye, eye, eye"

Now, this last chorus, I think...Symbolizes that this is never going to be the last time. He's destined to leave her and when he comes back, she'll let him back in because she loves him.

The repetition of this line "This is the last time I'm asking you..." at the end, I think just means that it's never going to be the last time. It leaves you feeling like there's so much unresolved and I think it's because that's how they feel.

OKAY. that's all.