It's a guy who sees his girl/woman as "his" in every sense of the word. He could be literally saying this, but a guy of that type probably wouldn't consciously think these words or else he couldn't keep up the self-denial of his narcissism. I don't think the narrator (not Max Bemis; the character he's playing in this song) is introspective enough to see how manipulative and possessive he is. But these words express the way he sees things, which underlies all his actions and leads to how he blindly wants to force another person into a mold of what he wants. And to fit her into that mold he has to try to take away her free will and depersonalize her, making her his property.
Lyrics interpretation:
Don't you go leaving
Baby, I'll find you,
(He "cares" about her as far as she is his object of possession. If she tries to leave him he won't leave her alone.)
Tell all your secrets
No one will want you
(And he will exploit her. If she won't be his object of pleasure he'll try to fuck up her reputation as a human)
It's for your own good
I know what's best for you
(Trying to convince her and himself she needs him. And he can't picture her with an existence outside of him.)
If you won't sleep with me
There'll be no rest for you
(He won't let her be.)
Until the day you're broke
Until you drop and choke
I'll be your man
("Until". If she needs help he's out).
This much I know
Until the empire falls
Until you think at all (at, not it)
(Don't know what "empire" is talking about.)
You gave your love to me
And now you are my property
(Love only has meaning when it's a choice, when you give it to someone out of free will. But for the narrator when she's given him love he has a right to her soul).
You sold your soul
(Depersonalizing and possessing her)
You can't retrieve the love I stole
From you
It's true
(First he said she gave it, now he says he stole it. Sounds like he manipulated her into thinking she needed him.)
Deny with every thing you do
You're my property
You're my property
(He doesn't want her denying he owns her.)
Sell you into bondage
Baby, I own you
(He said it himself.)
You'll entertain all my friends
Dressed in the latest trendy frocks
(She's a prop to make him look good.)
You better tattoo
That I am your patriarch
(Like branding cattle.)
It's your ambition (That should be what she wants to do.)
Soon you will fear the dark
Because I lurk (not look) in your bed
Until the day you see
That you mean nothing to me
(He's using her.)
Until the day I find
Someone to fall in line
Without a single sin
Without an opinion
(He's looking for someone who never makes a mistake and that means never displeases him. And he doesn't want a woman ever disagreeing with him, one with her own opinions.)
You gave your love to me
And now you are my property
You sold your soul
You can't retrieve the love I stole
From you
It's true
Deny with every thing you do
You're my property
You're my property
"Baby, I know you've got all those crazy loft goals: Going to art school and following your dreams and whatnot. Blah blah blah, just throw it to the side. You know I can support us all on my own and worst case I'll just have to sell some drugs to my little brother's friends. (He's fine with using his brother's friends to get money.) If you do have to sell your body, once or twice or seven times, it'll be worth it. (Doesn't give a shit about her self-respect.) And trust me, one day my band is gonna make it. And this will all be just a distant distant dream..." (The fact the narrator refers to his band making it sounds like Max in some of his songs. So maybe Max is writing about a younger version of himself. Or an alternate version. Or another person who has a band.)
Until the earth's removed
(Until the world ends)
Or daddy don't approve
(Or he doesn't approve of her)
Whatever happens first
Depending on my mood
(How he treats her depends on his mood.)
(Unless something happens dramatically outside his control, like the world ending, or unless he decides he doesn't want her any more, until then, she's his property)
You gave your love to me
And now you are my property
You sold your soul
You can't retrieve the love I stole
From you
It's true
Deny with every thing you do
You're my property
You're my property
You're my property
You're my property
It's a guy who sees his girl/woman as "his" in every sense of the word. He could be literally saying this, but a guy of that type probably wouldn't consciously think these words or else he couldn't keep up the self-denial of his narcissism. I don't think the narrator (not Max Bemis; the character he's playing in this song) is introspective enough to see how manipulative and possessive he is. But these words express the way he sees things, which underlies all his actions and leads to how he blindly wants to force another person into a mold of what he wants. And to fit her into that mold he has to try to take away her free will and depersonalize her, making her his property.
Lyrics interpretation:
Don't you go leaving Baby, I'll find you, (He "cares" about her as far as she is his object of possession. If she tries to leave him he won't leave her alone.) Tell all your secrets No one will want you (And he will exploit her. If she won't be his object of pleasure he'll try to fuck up her reputation as a human) It's for your own good I know what's best for you (Trying to convince her and himself she needs him. And he can't picture her with an existence outside of him.) If you won't sleep with me There'll be no rest for you (He won't let her be.)
Until the day you're broke Until you drop and choke I'll be your man ("Until". If she needs help he's out). This much I know Until the empire falls Until you think at all (at, not it) (Don't know what "empire" is talking about.)
You gave your love to me And now you are my property (Love only has meaning when it's a choice, when you give it to someone out of free will. But for the narrator when she's given him love he has a right to her soul). You sold your soul (Depersonalizing and possessing her) You can't retrieve the love I stole From you It's true (First he said she gave it, now he says he stole it. Sounds like he manipulated her into thinking she needed him.) Deny with every thing you do You're my property You're my property (He doesn't want her denying he owns her.)
Sell you into bondage Baby, I own you (He said it himself.) You'll entertain all my friends Dressed in the latest trendy frocks (She's a prop to make him look good.) You better tattoo That I am your patriarch (Like branding cattle.) It's your ambition (That should be what she wants to do.) Soon you will fear the dark
Because I lurk (not look) in your bed Until the day you see That you mean nothing to me (He's using her.) Until the day I find Someone to fall in line Without a single sin Without an opinion (He's looking for someone who never makes a mistake and that means never displeases him. And he doesn't want a woman ever disagreeing with him, one with her own opinions.)
You gave your love to me And now you are my property You sold your soul You can't retrieve the love I stole From you It's true Deny with every thing you do You're my property You're my property
"Baby, I know you've got all those crazy loft goals: Going to art school and following your dreams and whatnot. Blah blah blah, just throw it to the side. You know I can support us all on my own and worst case I'll just have to sell some drugs to my little brother's friends. (He's fine with using his brother's friends to get money.) If you do have to sell your body, once or twice or seven times, it'll be worth it. (Doesn't give a shit about her self-respect.) And trust me, one day my band is gonna make it. And this will all be just a distant distant dream..." (The fact the narrator refers to his band making it sounds like Max in some of his songs. So maybe Max is writing about a younger version of himself. Or an alternate version. Or another person who has a band.)
Until the earth's removed (Until the world ends) Or daddy don't approve (Or he doesn't approve of her) Whatever happens first Depending on my mood (How he treats her depends on his mood.)
(Unless something happens dramatically outside his control, like the world ending, or unless he decides he doesn't want her any more, until then, she's his property)
You gave your love to me And now you are my property You sold your soul You can't retrieve the love I stole From you It's true Deny with every thing you do You're my property You're my property You're my property You're my property