Please Say No

First, I'll preface this with the statement that Jimmy Eat World has been and always will be my favorite band. I love them with such a passion I can't possibly express. Their music has helped me through the toughest times in my life. Earlier this year I read an interview with the band and that they said that Damage would be more of an "adult" breakup record. Not full of breakup songs they would've written years ago. But breakups that have consequences in adult life. I think this song is the perfect representation of that. From the beginning, I get the impression of a now-divorced/separated couple who know that they're not meant for each other but (at least he) wants so desperately to work out. From the first verse, I imagine giving a phone call to his ex after he's had a couple drinks, realizing that their lives are so hopelessly tied that he doesn't feel he can be himself without her. From the chorus, I just get a lot of internal conflict. I'm not sure I'm interpreting it right because of the way it's phrased, but I imagine he's saying how badly he wants her to say that she's done, that they'll never be together because he doesn't have the conviction to walk away on his own. What I don't get are the last two lines, "Say anything but no, and I'd go, I'd go, I'd go." It seems to be in contradiction to what he was saying--that if she says yes or maybe, that he would leave. I'm a bit confused by this part. Any clarification would be welcomed. As for the second verse, I'm imagining a flashback to when they were together/married (I say married because of mention of kids, but that may not necessarily be the case). This flashback seems the moment he realized they shouldn't be together anymore. That they were hurting each other by remaining together. The continuation of the second verse seems to be in the here and now, wondering that if they were to get away from all of the people and circumstances that shaped their relationship if they could make it. Pretty heartbreaking. Actually, taking this part into consideration, and that the chorus is followed this time by "with you, with you, with you." I think maybe he's saying that if she said anything but no that he would go with her, leave his life and everything he knows and go anywhere with her... but with the rest of the chorus, he still wants her to say no so that he knows they've made the right decision, which leads beautifully into the last verse. The last verse seems to be her answer, in my opinion. I'm still imagining this as the phone call from the beginning of the song. She's basically saying that he already knows the answer he wants, why drudge up all of these feelings and memories when they both know that they could never be... however much they may wish it otherwise.

Anyway, in my opinion, this is one of the most heartbreaking songs they've ever written. I love it.

I believe that Jim is speaking of a girl that he had a relationship with once or maybe just a special night.

He never actually says what the question is, but I think the "No" that he doesn't want her to say is in response to the question of something like "Do you think we could have worked out?"

When he says "Say anything you will, Except how you'd have me still" its him saying that he has spent his life since their relationship wishing that he had her back and now that he's confronting her, its breaking his heart to hear her say that she wanted to get back with him just as bad. Now things can't be the same because of everything they've been through since the break up.

Just my first impression! Such a beautiful song and I think we've all been in similar situations. Great album!

Optimistic crowd here hey?

The way I see this the song is from the point of view of a guy who's tempted have an affair with another woman. He's saying please say no, because he's he's not strong enough to.

The lyrics shown here are mostly right, but just slightly inaccurate. I listened to the song several times, and I referred to both the lyrics shown here and the lyrics in the lyric booklet included with the album (which was almost totally accurate, but actually wrong on a few minor things such as having "all you're looking for" in place of "all you're hoping for"). This is what I determined the lyrics to be:

It was a freezing night And not a single cloud I had a couple in me So I reached out And when I heard your voice Felt you all inside I prayed for the distance To keep us in line

But there's things I've done You understand like no one else There's pain I kept buried deep inside myself I've been saying for forever Hey, that's not me But me with you is who I think I'll always be

Please say no Please say no Please say no Please say no

Say anything you will Except how you'd have me still Say anything but no And I'd go, I'd go, I'd go

It was the peak of summer And I thought I'd drown We couldn't get close All the kids were around But I could read you plain You want a different life Someday, hell, you might ruin mine

I've lately come to wonder What it might feel like If one last time We went and did this right And somewhere no one possibly could know our names Somewhere no one bothers to remember a face

Please say no Please say no Please say no Please say no, no, no, no, no

Say anything you will Except how you'd have me still Say anything but no And I'd go, I'd go, I'd go

With you, with you, with you

If all you're really hoping for is peace of mind Don't come to me with questions You'll just waste your time Exactly what you're looking for Is what you'll find And all I see around me Is a losing fight

Please say no Please say no Please say no Please say no, no, no, no, no

Say anything you will Except how you'd have me still Say anything but no And I'll go, I'll go, I'll go

Say anything but no And I'll go, I'll go, I'll go

He loves his wife. He’s had an affair. His wife asks questions that he really doesn’t want to answer because “exactly what she’s looking for” will hurt her deeply, and he doesn’t want to hurt her. Thing is, he already has.

You’re a fucking coward.