It seems to me that the song is fairly straight forward. It was written after Ben's girlfriend moved to DC.
When he visits her he has to wear a name tag because he doesn't know any of her DC friends and it needs to be explained to every one of them that he is "a visitor" and "not permanent" and worst of all, why she decided to leave him on the other side of the country in the first place.
She seems "out of context" in the new apartment complex because it doesn't match with his memories of her home. But the truth is, she's not the one out of place. It's him. Her life has continued on even without him which is why she's now "a stranger with (her) door key." In a nut shell, she's got a whole life going on without his being part of it.
She seems to have had a very good reason for going to DC. Maybe school or an important life changing job opportunity. From the upbeat tone of the end of the song I imagine what Ben's saying is that after the visit he understands why it was important for her to leave him even though they are both lonely. He understands, but he still feels like he's been abandoned. Or he's being sarcastic, but he doesn't strike me as the sarcastic type.
I wonder if they broke up. Long distance relationships are hard :(
There was a version of this sung with a slower, more soulful feel to it. When it is not sung so upbeat, the lyrics are far more heartbreaking ... but for the same reasons you describe.
While he can see she has made her life in a way that makes him think it's out of context with what he knows ... it hits harder now that he sees why he was the one worth leaving.
There was a version of this sung with a slower, more soulful feel to it. When it is not sung so upbeat, the lyrics are far more heartbreaking ... but for the same reasons you describe.
While he can see she has made her life in a way that makes him think it's out of context with what he knows ... it hits harder now that he sees why he was the one worth leaving.
It seems to me that the song is fairly straight forward. It was written after Ben's girlfriend moved to DC. When he visits her he has to wear a name tag because he doesn't know any of her DC friends and it needs to be explained to every one of them that he is "a visitor" and "not permanent" and worst of all, why she decided to leave him on the other side of the country in the first place.
She seems "out of context" in the new apartment complex because it doesn't match with his memories of her home. But the truth is, she's not the one out of place. It's him. Her life has continued on even without him which is why she's now "a stranger with (her) door key." In a nut shell, she's got a whole life going on without his being part of it.
She seems to have had a very good reason for going to DC. Maybe school or an important life changing job opportunity. From the upbeat tone of the end of the song I imagine what Ben's saying is that after the visit he understands why it was important for her to leave him even though they are both lonely. He understands, but he still feels like he's been abandoned. Or he's being sarcastic, but he doesn't strike me as the sarcastic type.
I wonder if they broke up. Long distance relationships are hard :(
I meant a figurative name tag. I don't think he literally stuck a "Hello my name is..." tag on himself when he landed in DC.
I meant a figurative name tag. I don't think he literally stuck a "Hello my name is..." tag on himself when he landed in DC.
This sounds spot on to me. One tiny quibble: I think he is the stranger with her door key, not her. Another symbol of his virtual estrangement.
This sounds spot on to me. One tiny quibble: I think he is the stranger with her door key, not her. Another symbol of his virtual estrangement.
There was a version of this sung with a slower, more soulful feel to it. When it is not sung so upbeat, the lyrics are far more heartbreaking ... but for the same reasons you describe.
While he can see she has made her life in a way that makes him think it's out of context with what he knows ... it hits harder now that he sees why he was the one worth leaving.
There was a version of this sung with a slower, more soulful feel to it. When it is not sung so upbeat, the lyrics are far more heartbreaking ... but for the same reasons you describe.
While he can see she has made her life in a way that makes him think it's out of context with what he knows ... it hits harder now that he sees why he was the one worth leaving.
They must have. Gibbard recently divorced Zooey Deschanel, so he must have been married at the time of your comment.
They must have. Gibbard recently divorced Zooey Deschanel, so he must have been married at the time of your comment.