More Than This

A break-up. And more precisely one specific fight that ends up being the break up. She is telling him that he isn't good enough for her(obviously). I think the line about being a "I know you, youre a sales man's son and you're pimping pretty junk" is very deep actually. She saying he's simple, not a rich man. But that he is a natural at making it appear that simple, normal things(junk) are beautiful even though they aren't. And that he even probably does it with problems and concerns in the relationship. He's a master at covering them up, making it seem like they will be fine or go away. But she won't fall for it anymore. His little quirks (my mouth full, mess. Smiling like I'm competition. Maybe I'm yours) are no longer cute to her.

And he is asking what he is supposed to do without her. She's all he wants. He has planned a future around her. He needs more than her just bailing on him for no reason other than her friends say she could do better. In fact, he gets a little righteous about it and pokes at her saying basically, "Fine. Dump me. I always found it pathetic that you were a sheep to your friends." (Go on then hitch me up... Cause I do love the glow you get when you're told word-for-word how to think for yourself.)

omg i love it! to me its about how he's becoming successful and putting his work before her and although they may be rich and have material objects, its still not enough.

It seems to be about loving someone and having them tell you that you're not good enough for them.

I think this is one of Matt Nathanson's most symbolic songs. It seems like this song has to do with losing loved ones by pursuing success. He starts out opening up his arms and proclaiming that he's her guy but then realizes that he's been selfish for a while now. It's then revealed that something drastic has changed their relationship as he feels that she's needlessly judging him and listening to her friends rather than formulating her own opinions. She tells him that he's basically a salesman (I think the original lyric might be "you're a salesman, son" not "salesman's son") pimping pretty junk. He's been taking his own mess of a life and making it appear peaceful and serene trying to move on so he can get some money, pocket some success, and move on to the next victims of his pursuits.

Then the fight begins. She tells him that they need to be apart. He becomes defensive, saying that he's going after the money and fame because of her. That he's doing it all to make sure that she can be happy. She responds by telling him to look at himself and who he has become. She doesn't see him as the innocent cute boy that she fell in love with and instead thinks of him as cruel and worldly.

The bridge involves Matt Nathanson saying "I'm tired of baring my teeth when I smile" a line which is obscure because it doesn't say who says it. It's almost as if they're saying it in unison. That they both feel like their characters are being attacked and they can't deal with it the way it is now.

Ultimately, this is a song about the last fight before a relationship ends. I think all of us have been there before. Where both people want things to work out but someone has to say that it just isn't so. That there are no magic words that will whisk all problems away, and someone has to act up and say that the two people in the relationship deserve more than this.