Not sure I'd agree with the comments about this song being a sexual metaphor or having overtly sexual overtones. In keeping with several other tracks on the ' Steve McQueen ' LP ( Hallelujah being a classic example ) - it is more of an insight into the writer's sensitivity. McAloon describes perfectly how it is a weakness of the female gender to fall for the ' bad boy ' - the charmer who says all the right things and elicits excitement ( he talks so well, what can you do....it's pretty plain, he means it too... ), and a warning to the consequences of this weakness in the opening lines of each verse. He then goes on to describe how a more sensitive man has all the same urges in the chorus lines, and issues a plea to be respectful ( if you take, then put back good...) in the reprise. A brilliantly constructed song by the best writer in the history of popular music, bar none and a hugely underrated band. Got decent airplay in Australia but wasn't a major hit, more's the pity.
Not sure I'd agree with the comments about this song being a sexual metaphor or having overtly sexual overtones. In keeping with several other tracks on the ' Steve McQueen ' LP ( Hallelujah being a classic example ) - it is more of an insight into the writer's sensitivity. McAloon describes perfectly how it is a weakness of the female gender to fall for the ' bad boy ' - the charmer who says all the right things and elicits excitement ( he talks so well, what can you do....it's pretty plain, he means it too... ), and a warning to the consequences of this weakness in the opening lines of each verse. He then goes on to describe how a more sensitive man has all the same urges in the chorus lines, and issues a plea to be respectful ( if you take, then put back good...) in the reprise. A brilliantly constructed song by the best writer in the history of popular music, bar none and a hugely underrated band. Got decent airplay in Australia but wasn't a major hit, more's the pity.