A more literal interpretation of this song could go as such: She thinks she's in love with this guy who is "all talk and no walk." She makes it clear that while he wants to seem mysterious and deep, this is all just a show; in reality, this guy doesn't know anything about emotion. She knows this, but can't help but still want him, even though whenever she spends time with him she knows he is completely false.
She decides to leave - "I'm gonna leave, tonight, before I change my mind," reassuring herself that this guy isn't going anywhere with his life and he's a complete downer. ("You think misery will make you stand apart from the crowd") By separating herself from this guy, she'll rise above him and stand out, not wasting her time anymore - "now I've seen, tonight, how I could waste my time / and I'll be on my way, and I won't be back."
@KatieC That really seems to be the meaning at first sight. I think you are very close to what Dido means by the first and last verses.
But you overlook the fact that according to the song title the "See you when you're 40" verses are central.
For some reason she wants to see the guy again in her life - and it's probably more her hope that he will be sad and alone. Maybe she herself was afraid of being sad and alone at 40?
I think that this song goes much deeper and is not just a pure hate song. This...
@KatieC That really seems to be the meaning at first sight. I think you are very close to what Dido means by the first and last verses.
But you overlook the fact that according to the song title the "See you when you're 40" verses are central.
For some reason she wants to see the guy again in her life - and it's probably more her hope that he will be sad and alone. Maybe she herself was afraid of being sad and alone at 40?
I think that this song goes much deeper and is not just a pure hate song. This song is about a tragedy.
"I temporarily forgot there's better days to come
I thought that I would give it just one more chance
She says this at the beginning - and "it" is "love". She had actually given up hope of love, and suddenly something happened one evening that she had secretly waited for but never expected. The boy had briefly revived in her the buried hope for true love.
Later that evening something went terribly wrong. Before she comes to terms with the fact that she herself might also have done something wrong, she blames the boy alone. She would rather go away and give up hope for love than continue to deal with what happened that night and fight for love.
A song about a tragedy.
A more literal interpretation of this song could go as such: She thinks she's in love with this guy who is "all talk and no walk." She makes it clear that while he wants to seem mysterious and deep, this is all just a show; in reality, this guy doesn't know anything about emotion. She knows this, but can't help but still want him, even though whenever she spends time with him she knows he is completely false.
She decides to leave - "I'm gonna leave, tonight, before I change my mind," reassuring herself that this guy isn't going anywhere with his life and he's a complete downer. ("You think misery will make you stand apart from the crowd") By separating herself from this guy, she'll rise above him and stand out, not wasting her time anymore - "now I've seen, tonight, how I could waste my time / and I'll be on my way, and I won't be back."
@KatieC That really seems to be the meaning at first sight. I think you are very close to what Dido means by the first and last verses. But you overlook the fact that according to the song title the "See you when you're 40" verses are central. For some reason she wants to see the guy again in her life - and it's probably more her hope that he will be sad and alone. Maybe she herself was afraid of being sad and alone at 40? I think that this song goes much deeper and is not just a pure hate song. This...
@KatieC That really seems to be the meaning at first sight. I think you are very close to what Dido means by the first and last verses. But you overlook the fact that according to the song title the "See you when you're 40" verses are central. For some reason she wants to see the guy again in her life - and it's probably more her hope that he will be sad and alone. Maybe she herself was afraid of being sad and alone at 40? I think that this song goes much deeper and is not just a pure hate song. This song is about a tragedy. "I temporarily forgot there's better days to come I thought that I would give it just one more chance She says this at the beginning - and "it" is "love". She had actually given up hope of love, and suddenly something happened one evening that she had secretly waited for but never expected. The boy had briefly revived in her the buried hope for true love. Later that evening something went terribly wrong. Before she comes to terms with the fact that she herself might also have done something wrong, she blames the boy alone. She would rather go away and give up hope for love than continue to deal with what happened that night and fight for love. A song about a tragedy.