I have a happier meaning for the song which comes from the idea that the line "you don't know me" has a different consequences depending on who says it.
When the guy says it, he thinks it's the reason that the girl hasn't rejected him. He's afraid that if she gets to know the real person, she'd leave him.
But, notice when the girl says the line. She says it right after "But can you go back once you know?" and "Why the fuck would you want me back? Maybe it's because...". She says "you don't know me" as a response to his questions. Whatever he's hiding, she's the kind of person who will stick with him despite his flaws. She isn't the judgemental person that he's afraid she is.
A followup this is whether the girl is a good judge of character or not. Is the guy wrong for looking down on himself too much? The answer is yes. Throughout the song, being to complete his sentences shows that she knows exactly what he's thinking and feeling. You could say that the mirroring of his lines shows that she's as clueless as him, but it's too much of a coincidence for them to think of exactly the same cardboard standup metaphor (when both of them say "paint me anything").
It looks like there's hope for the insecure guy after all. While he's hidden his true self behind a cliche, the girl was perceptive enough to see through it and get to know him even if he was too blind to know her. But it won't continue this way. Close to the end of the song, some lines are spoken rather than sung. At this point, the guy's opening up and, to his surprise, she's willing to listen despite his hesitation (which would really annoy most people). Unfortunately, the song doesn't tell us how it went, but the cheerful humming as it ends suggests a happy ending.
I have a happier meaning for the song which comes from the idea that the line "you don't know me" has a different consequences depending on who says it.
When the guy says it, he thinks it's the reason that the girl hasn't rejected him. He's afraid that if she gets to know the real person, she'd leave him.
But, notice when the girl says the line. She says it right after "But can you go back once you know?" and "Why the fuck would you want me back? Maybe it's because...". She says "you don't know me" as a response to his questions. Whatever he's hiding, she's the kind of person who will stick with him despite his flaws. She isn't the judgemental person that he's afraid she is.
A followup this is whether the girl is a good judge of character or not. Is the guy wrong for looking down on himself too much? The answer is yes. Throughout the song, being to complete his sentences shows that she knows exactly what he's thinking and feeling. You could say that the mirroring of his lines shows that she's as clueless as him, but it's too much of a coincidence for them to think of exactly the same cardboard standup metaphor (when both of them say "paint me anything").
It looks like there's hope for the insecure guy after all. While he's hidden his true self behind a cliche, the girl was perceptive enough to see through it and get to know him even if he was too blind to know her. But it won't continue this way. Close to the end of the song, some lines are spoken rather than sung. At this point, the guy's opening up and, to his surprise, she's willing to listen despite his hesitation (which would really annoy most people). Unfortunately, the song doesn't tell us how it went, but the cheerful humming as it ends suggests a happy ending.