Most of the interpretations of this song are related to either a dog or the second half of a bad relationship, but I disagree with both of them. I think this song takes place after a breakup ('you sit all alone with your color TV;' 'just because you're gone'). She said she still wants to be friends, but she's not over him, so she is acting up ('you get what you do 'cuz you won't let it die'). He says "sure, 'we don't have to be friends,' whatever's best for you" because he's trying to act like he's over her ('but I'm feeling fine'). But he's too quick to agree ('we don't have to stay friends'), and he sounds kind of bitter ('yeah, whatever makes you happy;' 'her hair starts to glisten in spite of the fleas'), so we know he's full of it--he's not over her, either. They're both still sort of in love with each other, but they can't act like it after a breakup, so instead they snipe at each other and pick fights ('let's pretend to be enemies'). It's obvious that they can't keep going like this ('we're sunk like a stone on a rock in the sea') and that they ought to cut off all contact. They're miserable now, but they're still afraid that not seeing each other at all might somehow be worse ('damned if you do, fucked if you don't'). So they both stay in this bitter, post-breakup non-friendship that isn't getting any better, because it's not as scary as change.
And, being human, he blames her for the whole thing ('you must be aware what you're doing to me').
Most of the interpretations of this song are related to either a dog or the second half of a bad relationship, but I disagree with both of them. I think this song takes place after a breakup ('you sit all alone with your color TV;' 'just because you're gone'). She said she still wants to be friends, but she's not over him, so she is acting up ('you get what you do 'cuz you won't let it die'). He says "sure, 'we don't have to be friends,' whatever's best for you" because he's trying to act like he's over her ('but I'm feeling fine'). But he's too quick to agree ('we don't have to stay friends'), and he sounds kind of bitter ('yeah, whatever makes you happy;' 'her hair starts to glisten in spite of the fleas'), so we know he's full of it--he's not over her, either. They're both still sort of in love with each other, but they can't act like it after a breakup, so instead they snipe at each other and pick fights ('let's pretend to be enemies'). It's obvious that they can't keep going like this ('we're sunk like a stone on a rock in the sea') and that they ought to cut off all contact. They're miserable now, but they're still afraid that not seeing each other at all might somehow be worse ('damned if you do, fucked if you don't'). So they both stay in this bitter, post-breakup non-friendship that isn't getting any better, because it's not as scary as change.
And, being human, he blames her for the whole thing ('you must be aware what you're doing to me').