It's about traumatic moments that are either blessings in disguise or provide a stern wake-up call. Most of the song seems to be about Theresa Russell, an actress Pete was infatuated with in early 1980 and who ultimately rejected him, causing Pete much emotional distress and hastening a drug problem. The soul in whom Pete could depend in the last verse is probably Kit Lambert, whose death in 1981 catalyzed Pete's recovery from heroin addiction.
It's about traumatic moments that are either blessings in disguise or provide a stern wake-up call. Most of the song seems to be about Theresa Russell, an actress Pete was infatuated with in early 1980 and who ultimately rejected him, causing Pete much emotional distress and hastening a drug problem. The soul in whom Pete could depend in the last verse is probably Kit Lambert, whose death in 1981 catalyzed Pete's recovery from heroin addiction.