With probably one of the most oddly cool music videos ever made with a cat, this song is also unique.
The lyrics in this song express the feeling of longing for a past relationship and the pain of not being able to have it again. Ed wants to be “drunk when I wake up” and on “the right side of the wrong bed” possibly to numb the pain. He mentions that “love will scar your makeup, lip sticks to me” showing the idea of how love can leave a lasting effect on one’s emotional state. He also expresses regret for not holding on to the love he had and wishing he could hold it again, saying “But a house gets cold when you cut the heating / Without you to hold, I’ll be freezing / Can’t rely on my heart to beat in / ‘Cause you take parts of it every evening.”
Ed also expresses the idea of feeling incomplete and lost without the other person in his life. He says “Take words out of my mouth just from breathing / Replace with phrases like, “When you leaving me?”” showing how this person was a significant part of his life and now that they are gone, he doesn’t know what to say or do. He also mentions that he may change, but deep down he knows he can never change the fact that he will always love this person, “You know I’ll never change / All by myself / I’m just drunk again.”
He also expresses that he might get drunk again to feel a little love, possibly hinting at the idea of using alcohol as a coping mechanism for the pain he feels. He also speaks about how it’s not only him who is going through this kind of pain, mentioning “There may be other people like us / Who see the flicker of a clipper when they light up / Flames just create us” showing a sense of solidarity with others who have experienced a similar kind of pain.
Ed also reflects on the changes that have occurred in his life since the end of the relationship. He mentions that the love he had for the other person did not make him stronger as he once thought, instead it left him feeling weaker. He also speaks about how this person has taken parts of him away, leaving him feeling incomplete.
He expresses a sense of longing for the way things used to be. He wishes to hold the other person’s heart in both hands again and not let it “fizzle at the bottom of a Coke can.” He also mentions having no plans for the weekend, suggesting a feeling of emptiness and lack of purpose since the end of the relationship. He also speaks of wanting to keep things between them as friends, even though he knows the feelings he has for them will never be the same.
In conclusion, the lyrics in this song express the emotions and reflections of someone who has gone through the end of a relationship. Ed expresses longing for the way things used to be, regret for not being able to hold on to the love he had, and the pain of feeling incomplete and lost without the other person. He also touches on the idea of using alcohol as a coping mechanism and speaks of the solidarity with others who have gone through similar experiences.