This man has never quite fit in ("I grew up to be an unwanted weed"). He has also had many lives ("7 lives of a man passed before me") and as many loves ("7 graves, one for every love I had") but he only loved one of them ("Only once, I have broken my so-called heart"). Metaphorical or literal, who's to say? Anyway, he sacrificed himself for that one ("Held a torch for you when lightning stroke me") and paid dearly for it("hope I died for the last time").
He believes that he can only do harm ("Until I find a new life to ruin again), but still yearns for her love. However, she doesn't know all there is to know about him, and he's scared she won't love him if she does know. ("Got a sign, not a scar...", "I am not quite the man you take me for", "If only I could tell you everything...", etc."). Therefore, he wants to hurt her so he can prove that she loves him, but also to drive her away ("Show me that you care and have a cry") and in the end, accomplishes his objective and becomes a hardened, loveless shell. ("Bless this night with a tear, for I have none I fear.")
This man has never quite fit in ("I grew up to be an unwanted weed"). He has also had many lives ("7 lives of a man passed before me") and as many loves ("7 graves, one for every love I had") but he only loved one of them ("Only once, I have broken my so-called heart"). Metaphorical or literal, who's to say? Anyway, he sacrificed himself for that one ("Held a torch for you when lightning stroke me") and paid dearly for it("hope I died for the last time").
He believes that he can only do harm ("Until I find a new life to ruin again), but still yearns for her love. However, she doesn't know all there is to know about him, and he's scared she won't love him if she does know. ("Got a sign, not a scar...", "I am not quite the man you take me for", "If only I could tell you everything...", etc."). Therefore, he wants to hurt her so he can prove that she loves him, but also to drive her away ("Show me that you care and have a cry") and in the end, accomplishes his objective and becomes a hardened, loveless shell. ("Bless this night with a tear, for I have none I fear.")
In other words, this song is very sad.