The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Sucker love is heaven sent
You pucker up, our passion's spent
My heart's a tart, your body's rent
My body's broken, yours is spent
Carve your name into my arm
Instead of stressed I lie here charmed
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you
Sucker love a box I choose
No other box I choose to use
Another love I would abuse
No circumstances could excuse
In the shape of things to come
Too much poison, come undone
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you
Every me and every you
Every me
Sucker love, who's known to swing
Prone to cling and waste these things
Pucker up for heaven's sake
There's never been so much at stake
I serve my head up on a plate
It's only comfort, calling late
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Like the naked leads the blind
I know I'm selfish, I'm unkind
Sucker love, I always find
Someone to bruise and leave behind
All alone in space and time
There's nothing here, but what here's mine?
Something borrowed, something blue
Every me and every you
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
You pucker up, our passion's spent
My heart's a tart, your body's rent
My body's broken, yours is spent
Carve your name into my arm
Instead of stressed I lie here charmed
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you
Sucker love a box I choose
No other box I choose to use
Another love I would abuse
No circumstances could excuse
In the shape of things to come
Too much poison, come undone
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you
Every me and every you
Every me
Sucker love, who's known to swing
Prone to cling and waste these things
Pucker up for heaven's sake
There's never been so much at stake
I serve my head up on a plate
It's only comfort, calling late
'Cause there's nothing else to do
Every me and every you
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Like the naked leads the blind
I know I'm selfish, I'm unkind
Sucker love, I always find
Someone to bruise and leave behind
All alone in space and time
There's nothing here, but what here's mine?
Something borrowed, something blue
Every me and every you
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
Every me and every you
Every me
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Punchline
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I agree with pragmaticpoetry's idea that this is definitely not a love song, no matter how many times people say that it is. However, I feel that it's more like a character study. Brian is talking about someone who uses other people mercilessly in terms of love and sex, and why they do it. It's bitter, full of vitriol, and it's probably one of the best songs of its kind.
"Sucker love is heaven sent You pucker up our passion's spent My heart's a tart your body's rent My body's broken, yours is spent
Carve your name into my arm Instead of stressed I lie here charmed 'Cause there's nothing else to do Every me and every you
Sucker love a box I choose No other box I choose to use Another love I would abuse No circumstances could excuse"
In the beginning Brian (or the character) is talking about how "sucker love" is so great, the kind of love where one person hooks another in desperately, and how s/he toys with them. That's evident in the first verse where he says "my heart's a tart, your body's rent". This is kind of reinforced with, "another love I would abuse."
"Sucker love is known to swing Prone to cling and waste these things Pucker up for heaven's sake There's never been so much at stake
I serve my head up on a plate It's only comfort, calling late"
This is the verse that I think the character's own insecurities and low self-esteem become apparent. The lines "puck up for heaven's sake, there's never been so much at stake," read to me like the character, who's clearly selfish, is dependent on the people s/he uses for ego boosts. "I serve my head up on a plate," means that the character is giving the other everything for a while to satisfy his/herself before s/he starts "calling late" - ignoring the victim.
"Like the naked leads the blind I know I'm selfish, I'm unkind Sucker love I always find Someone to bruise and leave behind
All alone in space and time There's nothing here but what here's mine "
The line "like the naked leads the blind" is extremely powerful, and probably the most telling one in the entire song. The character is "naked," meaning s/he has no confidence, is ultimately vulnerable and that s/he ropes in are "blind," meaning they can't see all the places where the character is lacking, that s/he is "selfish," "unkind," and probably actually abusive on some level, be it verbal, emotional, or physical. When the other person begins to realize the kind of damage s/he is inflicting on them -"someone to bruise"- the character leaves them.
"Every me and every you." Finally, I think this line means the different masks he puts on for the different people s/he uses, but that those people are fundamentally the same person because they all serve the same purpose, that is, to keep the character from seeing his/her own flaws.
Brian Molko deserves a medal for writing a song this good.