Face value, it seems to be about a relationship gone bad. Both the singer and his partner are having problems, neither is solving them.
But then looking at the chorus, I realized "This isn't what we counted on" suggests he wants it to mean more - I think it's about divorces. So many people get married expecting something different, then find out they have to work at their problems to actually live together. "My optimism is masking my failure" - so many married couples go on living their lives, then come home and it's just problems.
Seems to have 2 meanings to me...
Face value, it seems to be about a relationship gone bad. Both the singer and his partner are having problems, neither is solving them.
But then looking at the chorus, I realized "This isn't what we counted on" suggests he wants it to mean more - I think it's about divorces. So many people get married expecting something different, then find out they have to work at their problems to actually live together. "My optimism is masking my failure" - so many married couples go on living their lives, then come home and it's just problems.
I'm not sure, but that's what I got out of it....