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Birthday Card Lyrics
She wrote her name with a heart
Inside his birthday card
Right beside the PS which read
Please don't think I'm devious
It's not that obvious
In fact it's more of a mess
You're what I find most beautiful
But you're also what makes me the ugliest
So i'm taking away all of the love
I ever gave to you
I think you should've known
It was only ever on a loan
And i'm running away
I found myself a hiding place
I've been uncomfortable looking in your eyes
They always see right through my face
And if you find your eyes
You hunt me down
'Cause if I find my eyes
I'll hunt you down
And if you find your voice
You hunt me down
'Cause if I find my voice
I'll hunt you down
He wrote his name with her heart
On the back of a postcard
Right beside the PS which read
Please don't think this is malicious
But ever since you left me I am a mess
You made me happiest
And now I'm lonely cause there was only you
Touching your skin was like a showel through the ground
I had no idea what I found
A crown
You crown me king
Made me lion in your ring
Training me with your see-through treasure
And bribing me with your guilty pleasure
You teach me how most things have no measure
Inside his birthday card
Right beside the PS which read
Please don't think I'm devious
It's not that obvious
In fact it's more of a mess
You're what I find most beautiful
But you're also what makes me the ugliest
So i'm taking away all of the love
I ever gave to you
I think you should've known
It was only ever on a loan
And i'm running away
I found myself a hiding place
I've been uncomfortable looking in your eyes
They always see right through my face
You hunt me down
'Cause if I find my eyes
I'll hunt you down
And if you find your voice
You hunt me down
'Cause if I find my voice
I'll hunt you down
On the back of a postcard
Right beside the PS which read
Please don't think this is malicious
But ever since you left me I am a mess
You made me happiest
And now I'm lonely cause there was only you
Touching your skin was like a showel through the ground
I had no idea what I found
A crown
You crown me king
Made me lion in your ring
Training me with your see-through treasure
And bribing me with your guilty pleasure
You teach me how most things have no measure
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I think this song is abut two co-dependent people in an ill-fated relationship. "She" seems to feel shame and guilt, perhaps because she is cheating on someone else with the "He" of this song (which would explain why her love was "only ever on a loan"), and so even though she loves him, she can't or won't be with him; nevertheless, she obviously still hasn't broken contact since she's sending him a birthday card, which only causes more pain for them both.
On the other end of the spectrum, "He" acknowledges that the relationship was shallow ("see-through treasure) and based on a physical/sexual relationship that was forbidden ("bribing me with your guilty pleasure"), yet he also cannot seem to break contact with her since he is sending her a postcard.
This is one of the best songs on the record, but it's even better live, where Joe sings it with real conviction.