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Watson Lyrics
I went walking to clear my head of the buzzing
I went stumbling past your car
Then all the bad blood down in my bones came a-rushing
Singing who's gonna love you when she's gone?
'Cause it took such a heavy light just to find you in the first place
Through all that rain and remaining fog
But if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me
I don't wanna go on my own
Lord I worry when I get old I'll be lonesome
Chasing all the umbrellas in London
Every footstep in Angel Station
For even the scent of her perfume again
Watching detectives chase the one that got away
The one that got away
Who would be the heart she'd hold on after mine
I bet he's a fine upstanding man
'Cause it took such a heavy light just to find you in the first place
But "do what you love" I once heard you say
But if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me
I don't wanna go on my own
Lord I worry when I get old I'll be lonesome
Chasing all the umbrellas in London
Every footstep in Angel Station
For even the scent of her perfume again
Watching detectives chase the one that got away
The one that got away
I remember how we danced through the towns on the Thames
For one little night I felt like I could be made new again
And you stayed here with me while I lost nearly everything
But "what do you really love?" I heard you say
But if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me
'Cause I don't wanna go on my own
Lord I worry when I get old I'll be lonesome
Chasing all the umbrellas in London
Every footstep in Angel Station
For even the scent of her perfume again
Watching detectives chase the one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Hang on Watson, hang on Watson
(I don't want to go on my own)
I went stumbling past your car
Then all the bad blood down in my bones came a-rushing
Singing who's gonna love you when she's gone?
'Cause it took such a heavy light just to find you in the first place
Through all that rain and remaining fog
But if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me
I don't wanna go on my own
Lord I worry when I get old I'll be lonesome
Chasing all the umbrellas in London
Every footstep in Angel Station
For even the scent of her perfume again
Watching detectives chase the one that got away
The one that got away
Who would be the heart she'd hold on after mine
I bet he's a fine upstanding man
'Cause it took such a heavy light just to find you in the first place
But "do what you love" I once heard you say
But if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me
I don't wanna go on my own
Lord I worry when I get old I'll be lonesome
Chasing all the umbrellas in London
Every footstep in Angel Station
For even the scent of her perfume again
Watching detectives chase the one that got away
The one that got away
I remember how we danced through the towns on the Thames
For one little night I felt like I could be made new again
And you stayed here with me while I lost nearly everything
But "what do you really love?" I heard you say
But if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me
'Cause I don't wanna go on my own
Lord I worry when I get old I'll be lonesome
Chasing all the umbrellas in London
Every footstep in Angel Station
For even the scent of her perfume again
Watching detectives chase the one that got away
The one that got away
The one that got away
Hang on Watson, hang on Watson
(I don't want to go on my own)
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About a breakup, obviously, that most likely happened in London, given the bounty of images of England's capitol city. Emotionally though, its really about helplessness, the idea of the narrator, singing to Watson, the right hand man of Sherlock Holmes but also the one who narrated the Holmes stories. So the protagonist is talking to someone about his loss who is the actual narrator of the story.
I would contend that it's about a relationship that is at a fragile moment and there's a very real possibility of them breaking up ("who's going to love you when she's gone") rather than one that has already happened. Probably right after a fight, as he "went walking to clear his head of the buzzing."
The rest of the verses is him playing out pieces of their history in his head ("took such a heavy light just to find you in the first place") and things she has said (" 'do what you love' I once heard you say") as he tries to play out the big "what if" they did break up. And he realizes he does need to say something for that not to happen ("but if you're thinking you might wanna stay with me/I don't wanna go on my own".) The rest of the chorus I think is him realizing he has found a (the) love, one he could not move on from, which we get to hear a few times in advance of him figuring it out at the end (because you know, a chorus).
Shoot. I love the song title and the London allegories; they help to envision a really powerful love (that would have someone "chasing all the umbrellas in London/for even the scent of her perfume again" (for that sliver of a chance to right the wrong choice)). But I think the song ends with him realizing that theirs is a love story that needs to continue, after he feels through possibly one of the last things she said during their fight (" 'but what do you really love' I heard you say"), although possibly that was said in a moment in time before the fight, too. "Hang on Watson, hang on Watson" is that "you'd be a fool." moment of realization felt profoundly.
Well. Hopefully it really ends with him going back to her and saying "if you're thinking you might wanna stay(yyyy) with me...". Great song about great love in my opinion.