I had never been the hugest fan of this song until very recently (this morning) it took hold of me, and though it may have my to do with my own life than I'd care to admit my interpretation is this:
An observer watching a woman fall for a man. The woman has never had the courage to tell anyone how she really feels but if she doesn't tell this particular guy (myself, if anyone's wondering about the significance to my own life), she'll lose him, (Not unlike the metaphor in the little mermaid).
The first verse tells the story of how she met him. Probably at work, she saw him more and more until they inevitably connected and their romance was born (or bubble burst).
The second verse is about how her passion for him intensified, "rehearsing interaction, he wasn't even there" I imagine masturbation, but that's just the Paul Banks part of my mind maybe. The whole theme to it seems like a passion growing but her resenting the fact that she is falling for him because she can't stand being vulnerable.
The chorus describes the man.
He whistles and he runs, (he has his own life and will be fine without her.)
Breathe the burn, you wanna let it last, (their sex is amazing, but casual romances are fleeting.)
But he might succumb to what she hasn't been. (If she can open up to him, he may fall for her too.)
He however has a keen eye for what you used to be, (he knows she is afraid of being vulnerable, but if she can't be vulnerable now, when would she ever be able to?)
Now my favourite line of the whole song:
When the cadaverous mob saves its doors for the dead men, you cannot leave.
I can hardly even describe what this means in my mind but imagine her finally being forced to make her decision about him. She can't hide in her fabricated cynicisms about love anymore.
When the cadaverous mob, (the mass of people who don't believe love exists,)
has saved its doors for the dead men, (don't line up with what she believes anymore so she either has to admit she cares for this gentleman or forever fade into romantic obscurity)
You cannot leave, (there's no way to put off this choice anymore, either she loves him and tells him, or she can't overcome her fears and loses him forever.)
I had never been the hugest fan of this song until very recently (this morning) it took hold of me, and though it may have my to do with my own life than I'd care to admit my interpretation is this: An observer watching a woman fall for a man. The woman has never had the courage to tell anyone how she really feels but if she doesn't tell this particular guy (myself, if anyone's wondering about the significance to my own life), she'll lose him, (Not unlike the metaphor in the little mermaid).
The first verse tells the story of how she met him. Probably at work, she saw him more and more until they inevitably connected and their romance was born (or bubble burst).
The second verse is about how her passion for him intensified, "rehearsing interaction, he wasn't even there" I imagine masturbation, but that's just the Paul Banks part of my mind maybe. The whole theme to it seems like a passion growing but her resenting the fact that she is falling for him because she can't stand being vulnerable.
The chorus describes the man. He whistles and he runs, (he has his own life and will be fine without her.) Breathe the burn, you wanna let it last, (their sex is amazing, but casual romances are fleeting.) But he might succumb to what she hasn't been. (If she can open up to him, he may fall for her too.) He however has a keen eye for what you used to be, (he knows she is afraid of being vulnerable, but if she can't be vulnerable now, when would she ever be able to?)
Now my favourite line of the whole song: When the cadaverous mob saves its doors for the dead men, you cannot leave. I can hardly even describe what this means in my mind but imagine her finally being forced to make her decision about him. She can't hide in her fabricated cynicisms about love anymore.
When the cadaverous mob, (the mass of people who don't believe love exists,) has saved its doors for the dead men, (don't line up with what she believes anymore so she either has to admit she cares for this gentleman or forever fade into romantic obscurity) You cannot leave, (there's no way to put off this choice anymore, either she loves him and tells him, or she can't overcome her fears and loses him forever.)