The way I interpret it is as a guy going through a messy break-up.
The song opens with him doing typical rebound/post-breakup healing activities: go out and do what you want, live a little, flirt with the girl around the way. Perhaps this is the euphoria of feeling freedom after leaving a long-term relationship.
Of course, break-ups are not always over in one fell swoop. It sounds like the guy still wants things to work in the next stanza:
Planning a break is such a tricky thing
Because you move to the country, she comes back again
And then you move to the city but she goes abroad
Is she telling you something, is she getting bored?
It could also just be reminiscing of how the relationship started to deteriorate.
The next stanza has him back in "single and on the rebound" mode:
I'll make a rough plan to sleep around, I'm in a rut
I need a change, I'm a lazy rat if I am honest
My bold change of tact will fade out with the summer
I've got no appetite and all the girls are bummers
Having sex with other women doesn't help him to forget about his ex. She is obviously popular and moving on:
My baby doesn't look at me
The way I want her to
She doesn't comprend
My baby's got it going on
She's got a friend hid in every street in this town
I want to go out but there's nobody home
I'll go on my own
As for the chorus, I think that while going through this break-up he met a girl he was interested in. She's different than the other girls at the club and he's trying to get to know her, but she's independent and has her own thing going on. And, it seems, a very healthy social life.
Break-ups can be messy things. I think this song encapsulates those range of emotions perfectly. Even the way it's sung and the music itself sound happy and hopeful with undertones of sadness to me.
First of all, I've loved this song for years.
The way I interpret it is as a guy going through a messy break-up.
The song opens with him doing typical rebound/post-breakup healing activities: go out and do what you want, live a little, flirt with the girl around the way. Perhaps this is the euphoria of feeling freedom after leaving a long-term relationship.
Of course, break-ups are not always over in one fell swoop. It sounds like the guy still wants things to work in the next stanza:
Planning a break is such a tricky thing Because you move to the country, she comes back again And then you move to the city but she goes abroad Is she telling you something, is she getting bored?
It could also just be reminiscing of how the relationship started to deteriorate.
The next stanza has him back in "single and on the rebound" mode:
I'll make a rough plan to sleep around, I'm in a rut I need a change, I'm a lazy rat if I am honest My bold change of tact will fade out with the summer I've got no appetite and all the girls are bummers
Having sex with other women doesn't help him to forget about his ex. She is obviously popular and moving on:
My baby doesn't look at me The way I want her to She doesn't comprend
My baby's got it going on She's got a friend hid in every street in this town I want to go out but there's nobody home I'll go on my own
As for the chorus, I think that while going through this break-up he met a girl he was interested in. She's different than the other girls at the club and he's trying to get to know her, but she's independent and has her own thing going on. And, it seems, a very healthy social life.
Break-ups can be messy things. I think this song encapsulates those range of emotions perfectly. Even the way it's sung and the music itself sound happy and hopeful with undertones of sadness to me.