Like a lot of Les Savy Fav songs, this one is tricky, and I wouldn't be especially surprised if, even in Mr. Harrington's head, there isn't a single, firmly defined notion of what's going on. Essentially, it can be read as a collection of scenes on centered around the idea of aftermath, the moments following something genuinely moving or simply spectacular (in the Debordian sense). Judging by the marriage allusions in the closing lines, it wouldn't be a stretch to suggest that "A kiss and a cough, now everyone's gone" refers to the feeling one feels post-wedding. Family have left, the ceremony is done, and someone you're suddenly and painfully alone. While profound in the moment, one is left with a bizarre notion of loneliness, as if the previous hours had just been a show, not unlike the sudden sensation felt by the TV personalities as "the TV goes off" and "their makeup remains." Ultimately, though, it's just the nature of life, of human contact and intimacy, Harrington intimates - his "suit", his prescribed place in the universe fits much too tight, but he has no choice, it's just the nature of the game. And while it's a reality that makes him feel "over [his] head in a shallow waterbed," it's not difficult to sense a ring of contentment in his voice. To put in the words of the Unicorns, "This is life, so we'll survive."
Like a lot of Les Savy Fav songs, this one is tricky, and I wouldn't be especially surprised if, even in Mr. Harrington's head, there isn't a single, firmly defined notion of what's going on. Essentially, it can be read as a collection of scenes on centered around the idea of aftermath, the moments following something genuinely moving or simply spectacular (in the Debordian sense). Judging by the marriage allusions in the closing lines, it wouldn't be a stretch to suggest that "A kiss and a cough, now everyone's gone" refers to the feeling one feels post-wedding. Family have left, the ceremony is done, and someone you're suddenly and painfully alone. While profound in the moment, one is left with a bizarre notion of loneliness, as if the previous hours had just been a show, not unlike the sudden sensation felt by the TV personalities as "the TV goes off" and "their makeup remains." Ultimately, though, it's just the nature of life, of human contact and intimacy, Harrington intimates - his "suit", his prescribed place in the universe fits much too tight, but he has no choice, it's just the nature of the game. And while it's a reality that makes him feel "over [his] head in a shallow waterbed," it's not difficult to sense a ring of contentment in his voice. To put in the words of the Unicorns, "This is life, so we'll survive."