Temptation Greets You Like Your Naughty Friend
● Arctic Monkeys Lyrics

I don't ever want to hate you
The singer doesn't want to end up hating the person they're addressing

So don't show me your bed
The singer wants to avoid intimacy with the person they're addressing

The only roads are cul-de-sacs
There's no way out of their current situation or relationship

The first thing that she said
The artist is recalling the first words the person they're addressing said to them

Temptation, greets you like your naughty mate
The artist compares temptation to a friend who always got them into trouble but they couldn't hate

The one that used to get you in bother
The aforementioned friend used to cause trouble for the singer

But one you could never bring yourself to hate
Despite the trouble the friend caused, the singer still couldn't hate them

And she said we've got that spark
The person the artist is addressing mentions a spark between them

That only lights a fuse
The spark between them will lead to something explosive or dangerous

Helps you see in the dark
This spark gives them clarity in a situation where there's a lot of uncertainty

But it's a sight you'll lose when
The clarity or insight provided by the spark won't last forever

The temptation greets you like your naughty friend
Just like the friend from earlier, temptation will always be there to lead you astray

One that made you steal and set things on fire
The temptation led the singer to engage in dangerous or illegal activities

But one you haven't seen of late
The singer hasn't given in to temptation recently

And I said that kind of talk
The singer responds to what the person they're addressing said earlier

Only adds intrigue
The person's earlier comment made the situation more interesting or compelling

To the cauldron of thought
The artist's mind is already full of conflicting thoughts and feelings

It's already exceeding
Their thoughts and feelings are already more than they can handle

Temptation, the very thing that held her back
Temptation has been a roadblock for the singer in the past

It's not part of the plan
The artist never intended to hate the person they're addressing

So keep your charm where I can't see it
The artist wants the person to keep their charming qualities hidden

And your hands where I can
The artist wants physical proximity with the person to be limited

We used to be in tight me and my naughty friends
The singer reminisces about their past association with troublemakers

Caused enticement in the air
The group's behavior was alluring or exciting

I mean day 'n' night
They engaged in reckless behavior around the clock

We robbed, we stole, we loved to fight
The group participated in criminal activities and enjoyed physical altercations

Smoking, drinking, joyriding
They also engaged in substance abuse and reckless driving

Drugs, thugs, not law-abiding
The group's behavior was illegal and dangerous

Reckless gangsters, no direction
They were aimless and didn't have a clear purpose in life

No sign of correction
They showed no willingness to change their ways

But then I switched it off
The singer decided to change their lifestyle

Changed my ways
They started making better choices

What the hell
They express surprise at their own decision

Like oh my days
They're still coming to terms with the magnitude of their choices

But like my naughty friends
The singer still thinks about their former associates

They're not phased
Their friends aren't bothered by the artist's change in behavior

Can't believe that this music pays
The singer reflects on their success in the music industry

See no reason why we can't do
The singer thinks there's no reason why they can't continue to make music and live the way they used to

All the things we've always done
The singer wants to continue their old lifestyle

Still in my heart I know that's just what
Deep down, the artist knows they can't go back to their old ways

But its hard to fight the temptation son
They find it difficult to resist the allure of their old lifestyle

The panic will fall down around you
If the person doesn't listen to the singer's warning, they'll be in trouble soon

If you don't do what I say
The singer is warning the person to heed their advice