She said it was just a figment of speech
And I said, "You mean figure?"
And she said, "No, figment"
Because she could never imagine it happening
But it did.

When we first met I played the shy boy
And when she spoke to me for the first time
My nose began to bleed
She guessed the rest

The next day we went on a bus ride to the ferry
And when nobody came to collect our fares
Well, I knew then this was something special
I couldn't stop thinking about her
And every time I switched on the radio
There was somebody else singing a song about the two of us

It was just like being on a fast ride at the funfair
The sort you wanna get off because it?s scary
And then as soon as you?re off
You wanna get straight back on again

But our love is strange
And you have to take the crunchy with the smooth I s'pose
She began going out with Mr Potato Head
It was when I saw her in the car park
With his coat around her shoulders that I realized
I went home and thought about the two of them together
Until the bath water went cold around me

I thought about her eyes and the curve of her breasts
And about the point where their bodies met
I confronted her about it.
I said, "I?m the most illegible bachelor in town."
And she said, "Yea, that's why I can never understand
Any of those silly letters you send me."

And then one day it happened
She cut 'er hair and I stopped lovin' 'er

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billy Bragg's song "Walk Away Renee" tell the story of a tumultuous relationship between the singer and a women named Renee. The first verse is a play on words about the word "figment." The singer first mistakes Renee's use of the word as "figure" before she clarifies that she meant "figment," as in an imagined idea. The song then transitions to the memory of their first interactions, with the singer being bashful and Renee taking the lead. They have a special moment together on a bus, which the singer recognizes as something significant. However, their love is "strange" and Renee begins to date someone else, Mr. Potato Head. The singer is heartbroken when he sees her with him and imagines the two of them together. The song ends with the revelation that the singer stops loving Renee after she gets a haircut.

This song captures the essence of a relationship that begins with excitement but ends in heartbreak. The playful dialogue in the first verse sets the stage for the bittersweet memories that follow. The singer is romantic but flawed, and the relationship is both thrilling and painful. The contrast between the lighthearted moments and the heartbreak makes this song a poignant reminder of the ups and downs of love.

Line by Line Meaning

She said it was just a figment of speech
She said it wasn't meant literally

And I said, "You mean figure?"
I asked if she meant the word 'figure'

And she said, "No, figment"
She explained that it was a figment of imagination

Because she could never imagine it happening
She couldn't picture it happening in reality

But it did.
However, it did happen

When we first met I played the shy boy
I acted timid when we first met

And when she spoke to me for the first time
On our first conversation

My nose began to bleed
I became nervous and overwhelmed

She guessed the rest
She understood how I felt

The next day we went on a bus ride to the ferry
The following day we took a bus and a ferry ride

And when nobody came to collect our fares
When no one asked us for money

Well, I knew then this was something special
I realized it was a special moment

I couldn't stop thinking about her
She was always on my mind

And every time I switched on the radio
Whenever I listened to the radio

There was somebody else singing a song about the two of us
A song that made me think of us played every time

It was just like being on a fast ride at the funfair
It felt like a thrilling ride at an amusement park

The sort you wanna get off because it?s scary
The kind that scared me and made me want to stop

And then as soon as you?re off
After the ride is done

You wanna get straight back on again
You want to ride it again and again

But our love is strange
Our relationship is peculiar

And you have to take the crunchy with the smooth I s'pose
You must tolerate the bad with the good, I guess

She began going out with Mr Potato Head
She started dating someone else

It was when I saw her in the car park
When I saw her in the parking lot

With his coat around her shoulders that I realized
When I saw him giving her his coat

I went home and thought about the two of them together
I went home and imagined them as a couple

Until the bath water went cold around me
I was preoccupied until the water got cold

I thought about her eyes and the curve of her breasts
I reflected on her physical features I fancied

And about the point where their bodies met
I pondered on the intimacy between them

I confronted her about it.
I approached her directly about it

I said, "I?m the most illegible bachelor in town."
I acknowledged I wasn't the most eligible bachelor

And she said, "Yea, that's why I can never understand
She responded, teasing my poor handwriting

Any of those silly letters you send me."
Mocking the silly letters I send

And then one day it happened
One day it transpired

She cut 'er hair and I stopped lovin' 'er
She changed her hairstyle and I lost feelings for her

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tony Sansone, Bob Calilli, Mike Brown

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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