I see this song as a cynical retort against the idea of soulmates. When people think they've found their soulmate they conjure up this wild fantasy idea that they are two souls as one, the same mind in two different bodies, then once an incident occurs which reveals they think completely differently about something, have a wild disagreement, that fantasy is immediately shattered and exposed to the reality of it all, their love turns to hatred as they realize they aren't actually much like one another at all.
This song is one of my favorites because I myself am pretty cynical about the idea of soulmates. I personally feel it's a lot more romantic to connect with someone who's different to you in certain ways, so that even though you may disagree on various things you still respect one another's views and love one another for who you are. The 'two souls as one' idea to me sounds naive and vain, and that is pretty much exposed in this song.
The only thing I can add is that the reason she reacts badly is not necessarily because she's shallow, but because of the way these strangers view her as an object of desire.
The only thing I can add is that the reason she reacts badly is not necessarily because she's shallow, but because of the way these strangers view her as an object of desire.
This also fits well with Smith's deep influence from existentialist thinking (e.g, "Killing An Arab" => Camus' "The Stranger"). I'm sure he read Sartre's "Being and Nothingness"; many of his songs deal with the problem of The Other.
This also fits well with Smith's deep influence from existentialist thinking (e.g, "Killing An Arab" => Camus' "The Stranger"). I'm sure he read Sartre's "Being and Nothingness"; many of his songs deal with the problem of The Other.
I see this song as a cynical retort against the idea of soulmates. When people think they've found their soulmate they conjure up this wild fantasy idea that they are two souls as one, the same mind in two different bodies, then once an incident occurs which reveals they think completely differently about something, have a wild disagreement, that fantasy is immediately shattered and exposed to the reality of it all, their love turns to hatred as they realize they aren't actually much like one another at all.
This song is one of my favorites because I myself am pretty cynical about the idea of soulmates. I personally feel it's a lot more romantic to connect with someone who's different to you in certain ways, so that even though you may disagree on various things you still respect one another's views and love one another for who you are. The 'two souls as one' idea to me sounds naive and vain, and that is pretty much exposed in this song.
Definitely.
Definitely.
The only thing I can add is that the reason she reacts badly is not necessarily because she's shallow, but because of the way these strangers view her as an object of desire.
The only thing I can add is that the reason she reacts badly is not necessarily because she's shallow, but because of the way these strangers view her as an object of desire.
This also fits well with Smith's deep influence from existentialist thinking (e.g, "Killing An Arab" => Camus' "The Stranger"). I'm sure he read Sartre's "Being and Nothingness"; many of his songs deal with the problem of The Other.
This also fits well with Smith's deep influence from existentialist thinking (e.g, "Killing An Arab" => Camus' "The Stranger"). I'm sure he read Sartre's "Being and Nothingness"; many of his songs deal with the problem of The Other.