Lyric discussion by karleo_jaxx 

Cover art for Lousy Reputation lyrics by We Are Scientists

A lad is upset that the girl he wants has a promiscuous reputation. But that is the reason why he was first attracted and reason why he ended up with her (one night stand) "The qualities you openly have advertised".

Then he starts or wants to start dating her, but his mind is full of all the possible skeletons in her closet. He either knows or thinks because the way they first met, she has slept with more people than him or slept with a lot of people.

So he can’t stop dwelling on her lousy reputation. Ruining there relationship before it even starts.