Lyric discussion by benjabean 

Cover art for At the Hop lyrics by Devendra Banhart

he knows the person is leaving. Doesn't want them to, and so now he just wants to know that he meant something to them.

"Put me in your tongue tie Make it hard to say That you ain't gonna stay That you ain't gonna stay"

If its difficult for the person to leave, than it means that he meant something to them, and therefore there's hope they may come back some day.