I would say this song is about how love can change a person for good or for bad.
The lyricist uses "rough hands" as an extended metaphor throughout the song to show how he himself changes.
The narrator has these "rough hands" at the start of the relationship but as it progresses and he tries to suit himself to this woman's "ideal" man he looses himself and gains "soft hands" due to having changed so much it highlights how, regardless of his "rough hands" she still chose him, she wanted him. Now that he has changed however she doesn't want him regardless of his "soft hands" seeing his mistake. He tries to change back but:
"It doesn't matter how rough these hands get.
It doesn't matter cause I'm not her man."
I think that the first verse is how the narrator is now.
Its all of the emotions that he feels after it has all ended...
He then goes into detail almost like a flashback, or as if he is discussing the whole thing with someone else.
He says that he will change for her using "swearing" as an example
I would say this song is about how love can change a person for good or for bad.
The lyricist uses "rough hands" as an extended metaphor throughout the song to show how he himself changes.
The narrator has these "rough hands" at the start of the relationship but as it progresses and he tries to suit himself to this woman's "ideal" man he looses himself and gains "soft hands" due to having changed so much it highlights how, regardless of his "rough hands" she still chose him, she wanted him. Now that he has changed however she doesn't want him regardless of his "soft hands" seeing his mistake. He tries to change back but:
"It doesn't matter how rough these hands get. It doesn't matter cause I'm not her man."
I think that the first verse is how the narrator is now. Its all of the emotions that he feels after it has all ended... He then goes into detail almost like a flashback, or as if he is discussing the whole thing with someone else.
He says that he will change for her using "swearing" as an example
"For her i'll make an attempt"
All in all. An epic song.