A seemingly simple song, both lyrically and musically, but it packs a terrific punch. Elliott is, on the surface, giving the brush-off to the subject of the song, but his internal pain is evident. The line "you don't need my help any more" reminds me of Twain's quote that if you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you, and this is the principle difference between dog and man. So many times, we make a person prosperous, in an emotional sense, and that person moves on as soon as s/he feels better and stronger, and no longer has any need for that person who was so helpful. It doesn't feel very good. God, how I can relate to this song, right now--it precisely sums up my feelings about a recently deceased relationship.
A seemingly simple song, both lyrically and musically, but it packs a terrific punch. Elliott is, on the surface, giving the brush-off to the subject of the song, but his internal pain is evident. The line "you don't need my help any more" reminds me of Twain's quote that if you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you, and this is the principle difference between dog and man. So many times, we make a person prosperous, in an emotional sense, and that person moves on as soon as s/he feels better and stronger, and no longer has any need for that person who was so helpful. It doesn't feel very good. God, how I can relate to this song, right now--it precisely sums up my feelings about a recently deceased relationship.