The song is about frustrations with different personalities within a loving relationship with a few personal references.
All these crazy mixed up lies
They're floating all around
Making these assumptions brings me down
And you get tight-lipped, how do I know what you think?
The lover tends to hold his emotions inside and does not share thoughts or feelings. This causes frustration for the author who tries to read between the lines of his lover's previous statements (could be contradictory or could include received misinterpretations based on the line "all these crazy mixed up lies"). The lover does not care to elaborate nor is he inclined to elaborate ("and you get tight-lipped"), leaving the author to (rightfully or wrongfully) making more assumptions ("how do I know what you think?")
Is it something I said when I lost my mind?
Temper too quick, makes me blind
I believe this is a very personal reference to Bob Mould's drug and alcohol addition. Bob is unsure if it is something he did under the influence which he may not even remember and would not have been in a state to recognize the pain he caused.
I apologize...
Said I'm sorry, now it's your turn,
Can you look me in the eyes and apologize?
The author has made an apology. But he waits for a similar response. Once again, the lover is quiet and doesn't acknowledge the apology nor does he offer any wrong-doing on his own part.
So now we sit around staring at the walls
We don't do anything at all
Take out the garbage, maybe, but the dishes don't get done
This is the response. Situation normal. Some day to day chores continue, others do not. It is as if the apology went on deaf ears. The introverted lover just continues as he always has.
The song is about frustrations with different personalities within a loving relationship with a few personal references.
All these crazy mixed up lies They're floating all around Making these assumptions brings me down And you get tight-lipped, how do I know what you think?
The lover tends to hold his emotions inside and does not share thoughts or feelings. This causes frustration for the author who tries to read between the lines of his lover's previous statements (could be contradictory or could include received misinterpretations based on the line "all these crazy mixed up lies"). The lover does not care to elaborate nor is he inclined to elaborate ("and you get tight-lipped"), leaving the author to (rightfully or wrongfully) making more assumptions ("how do I know what you think?")
Is it something I said when I lost my mind? Temper too quick, makes me blind
I believe this is a very personal reference to Bob Mould's drug and alcohol addition. Bob is unsure if it is something he did under the influence which he may not even remember and would not have been in a state to recognize the pain he caused.
I apologize...
Said I'm sorry, now it's your turn, Can you look me in the eyes and apologize?
The author has made an apology. But he waits for a similar response. Once again, the lover is quiet and doesn't acknowledge the apology nor does he offer any wrong-doing on his own part.
So now we sit around staring at the walls We don't do anything at all Take out the garbage, maybe, but the dishes don't get done
This is the response. Situation normal. Some day to day chores continue, others do not. It is as if the apology went on deaf ears. The introverted lover just continues as he always has.