The Same Boy You've Always Known

My personal interpretation: I can't help seeing a blatant reference to Jack and Meg relationship here.

"You fell down of course and then you got up of course and you started over forgot my name of course"

Meg was the one to ask for divorce, Jack was probably willing to save the marriage. She got probably depressed in their relationship, divorced him and then tried start over dating someone else.

"then you started to remember pretty tough to think about the beginning of december pretty tough to think about"

After the divorce came a hard time for both of them, and remembering their past together hurts. I believe "the beginning of december" refers to Meg's birthday (december 10th).

"You're looking down again and then you look me over we're laying down again on a blanket in the clover the same boy you've always known well I guess I haven't grown the same boy you've always known"

His remembering of them laying on a blanket in the clover may refer to the time when they were dating, when he was only a boy (they married when they were both 21, very young).

"Think of what the past did it could 've lasted so put it in your basket I hope you know a strong man who can lend you a hand lowering my casket"

He sounds bitter here, he probably means they could have saved their marriage, but she didn't want to. He thinks she'll regret it someday and wishes for her to be able to find a man who will help her really forget about him.

"I thought this is just today and soon you'd been returning the coldest blue ocean water cannot stop my heart and mind from burning"

I think this is a way of saying that sometimes he can't believe their breakup really happened, and in spite of her coldness, deep inside he still feels in love with her.

"everyone who's in the know says that's exactly how it goes and if there's anything good about me I'm the only one who knows"

He's wondering if she was ever able to really see the all good in him, probably unconsciously blaming himself for not being good enough to make her stay.

dude, i read this song totally different from all of you guys

i'm pretty sure this song explains how a girl is using him, and in return he doesn't look too well on himself. she basically runs to him whenever she feels shitty, but doesn't acknowledge him when her life picks back up again. that explains the whole "you got up of course, forgot my name of course."

then the second verse talks about how she's going through a hard time again, and she runs back to him "laying down again on a blanket in the clover"

he's just explaining how he hopes she can finally put their "fling" to a rest with the line "i hope you find a strong man who can lend you a hand lowering my casket"

through out that last part he just emphasizes his pain with "the coldest blue ocean water cannot stop my mind and heart from burning"

the "if there's anything good about me, i'm the only one who knows" just explains how she never even got to know him, she just used him. and of course, it also explains how he feels shitty.. poor dude

I love these lyrics, especially the last verse... to me it's feeling something so strong and so terrible at the same time... really powerful. these guys rock

I like this song sooooo much .... it's perfect, and I agree with Snips on the last verse. My favorite line is 'and if there's anything good about me I'm the only one who knows' because thats how I feel sometime ... like everyone else just doesnt care and I'm the only one who knows me ... great song :-)

I love the line about "Laying down on a blanket in the clover" - reminds me of lazy summer days back when I didn't have exams and jobs to worry about...

...and if there's anything good about me I'm the only one who knows

Wow, this line alone makes me love this song. Long live the White Stripes!

Great song from the White Stripes ... I see it as a kind of a screw you song after the end of a relationship. The last line "if there's anything good about me I'm the only one who knows" seems like a you don't know what you're missing message. But there is also a hopeful aspect in saying "I guess I haven't grown, the same boy you've always known." It's as though he's saying I'm not going to change, but I'll be here if you need me.

i must admit i'm a bit confused about this song. but my theory is that HE broke up with HER (or maybe, having recently broken up with someone myself, i am twisting his words to fit my meaning) for the first few stanzas and then it seems to reverse at the end. so i'm still trying to decide which one is right...

"you fell dowm of course/and then you got up of course/ and you started over/ forgot my name of course" that makes sounds as if he broke up with her, and she took it rough but eventually got over him completely

"think of what the past did/ it could've lasted/ so put it in your basket/ i hope you know a strong man/ who can lend you a hand/ lowering my casket" sounds like after she started to remember she still couldn't get over him, so he's basically saying, "stop thinking about what could have been, find yourself someone else who will help you forget me."

but then the entire final stanza makes me question whether it was really he that broke up with her... "i thought this is just today/ and soon you'd be retuning/ the coldest blue ocean water/ cannot stop my heart and mind from burning/... and if there's anything good about me/ i'm the only one who knows"

anyone else confused about the meaning or anyone else thinks HE broke up with HER?

i think it is about death and he is a ghost preserved as the age that his girl remembers him. and when he says "lowering my casket" it's just a dead give away and the line "forgot my name of coarse" means he's been dead for so long when she reminisces about him she forgets his name, then she starts to remember.

I always thought this was a guy who has known this girl, seperated, then got back together. She doesn't remember him at first, but does after some time. He tells her to find someone to "lend a hand lowering my casket" because he's going to be with her until he dies