I think this song is about the hard decision to pull out of a relationship that you've wanted to pull out of for a long time, and you're just now getting up the strength to do it. The "you" in the song--Sheryl's now-ex-love interest--seems emotionally unattached to everything, particularly to her. She is unsatisfied with the relationship because he can't give all of himself, and so the pair cannot connect. After a long time of trying to believe otherwise, she has finally faced it that he is just not going to let his emotions come up ("You've got everything you need, under your thick skin," and "You say you need me/But you can't tell me no/When I ask you to stop me baby/You just let me go.") My favorite line of this song is "When it comes to playing games, you will always win," referring to his way of inevitably coming out on top, considering loss isn't really loss if have no vested interest. Despite the sad content of the lyrics, though, I think that the happy tone of the song is genuine, not ironic. Regarding the end of the relationship, Sheryl feels like sure, she maybe "wasted" a little time, but she has accepted and has come full circle, and she is happy.
I could not agree more with the above assessment. She is strong in the sense that she knows cold the weaknesses of the relationship as well as within her. She knows exactly what she has to do for self preservation because she now knows the guy does not have her best interest (her back) and will always let her come back without change...back to a painful place where emotional connections are compromised without willingness to work on the relationship to meet her needs. She knows she needs communication like breath at this stage in the relationship (I...
I could not agree more with the above assessment. She is strong in the sense that she knows cold the weaknesses of the relationship as well as within her. She knows exactly what she has to do for self preservation because she now knows the guy does not have her best interest (her back) and will always let her come back without change...back to a painful place where emotional connections are compromised without willingness to work on the relationship to meet her needs. She knows she needs communication like breath at this stage in the relationship (I imagine it has been awhile) and by not giving it...she realizes he is willing to allow her to remain there as long as his needs are met. Thus..he will always be with her but on his terms - Thus he will always "win". Her self awareness to the situation makes her strength come through in such a vulnerable way. Awesome!
I think this song is about the hard decision to pull out of a relationship that you've wanted to pull out of for a long time, and you're just now getting up the strength to do it. The "you" in the song--Sheryl's now-ex-love interest--seems emotionally unattached to everything, particularly to her. She is unsatisfied with the relationship because he can't give all of himself, and so the pair cannot connect. After a long time of trying to believe otherwise, she has finally faced it that he is just not going to let his emotions come up ("You've got everything you need, under your thick skin," and "You say you need me/But you can't tell me no/When I ask you to stop me baby/You just let me go.") My favorite line of this song is "When it comes to playing games, you will always win," referring to his way of inevitably coming out on top, considering loss isn't really loss if have no vested interest. Despite the sad content of the lyrics, though, I think that the happy tone of the song is genuine, not ironic. Regarding the end of the relationship, Sheryl feels like sure, she maybe "wasted" a little time, but she has accepted and has come full circle, and she is happy.
I could not agree more with the above assessment. She is strong in the sense that she knows cold the weaknesses of the relationship as well as within her. She knows exactly what she has to do for self preservation because she now knows the guy does not have her best interest (her back) and will always let her come back without change...back to a painful place where emotional connections are compromised without willingness to work on the relationship to meet her needs. She knows she needs communication like breath at this stage in the relationship (I...
I could not agree more with the above assessment. She is strong in the sense that she knows cold the weaknesses of the relationship as well as within her. She knows exactly what she has to do for self preservation because she now knows the guy does not have her best interest (her back) and will always let her come back without change...back to a painful place where emotional connections are compromised without willingness to work on the relationship to meet her needs. She knows she needs communication like breath at this stage in the relationship (I imagine it has been awhile) and by not giving it...she realizes he is willing to allow her to remain there as long as his needs are met. Thus..he will always be with her but on his terms - Thus he will always "win". Her self awareness to the situation makes her strength come through in such a vulnerable way. Awesome!