Vocalist Aidan Moffat and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Middleton met in Falkirk, bonded over their mutual love for Drag City recording artists such as Smog and Will Oldham, and began a collaboration in 1995. The band is completed by violinist Jenny Reeve and cellist Stacey Sievewright. Arab Strap's marked characteristics include frank and forthright lyrics delivered in a Scottish brogue.
Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton confirmed the rumours about the end of Arab Strap on 8th September 2006. They celebrated their Ten Years of Tears with a tour through the UK and the rest of Europe. After UK/Europe, they made a short secret tour in Japan as the last of Arab Strap. In 2016, however, they have reunited a decade after their breakup and will be touring throughout the year 2017.
Afterwards
Arab Strap Lyrics
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And I can just see the post-fuck flush across your chest.
The telly's silent, the room's lit only by the screen,
And now we're perfect moulds with just our pulses in between.
"Well, I'm not listening to what my mother said
What we're doing inside my bed.
And I'm not pretending this time you're someone else,
But I'm cleaning these sheets all by myself."
You get up to get dressed.
I think your pants are by the door.
I think tomorrow we might be sore.
Even in this light, your tits look white against the tanning,
And I know that we're a couple 'cause we went down the
Family Planning.
It hit me in the waiting room waiting
When you were getting what you need,
But I can't help be a bit disappointed when you start to bleed.
"Afterwards is best.
You get up to get dressed.
I think your pants are by the door.
Well, I think we might be sore."
The lyrics of Arab Strap's "Afterwards" are an intimate portrayal of a sexual encounter between two people. The singer, who is presumably male, describes the aftermath of sex with his partner, highlighting the physical and emotional intimacy that they share. The bed is messy and they are both spent, yet still basking in the glow of their sexual experience. They are watching television in silence, and the room is illuminated only by the light from the screen, emphasizing the closeness and intimacy of the moment.
The singer admits that he is not following the advice of his mother by engaging in this activity, but he is not pretending that his partner is someone else. He is present in the moment, but still keeps his guard up by cleaning the sheets himself to avoid any implications of a deeper relationship. The title of the song, “Afterwards,” emphasizes that the best part of this encounter is the intimacy that they share after the physical act of sex. They get up to get dressed and go about their daily lives but have been marked by the experience in a positive way.
The last stanza of the song focuses on the changes that the encounter has brought into their lives. Their visit to the Family Planning clinic confirms that they are in a mutual relationship of some sort, and the singer cannot help but feel a bit disappointed when his partner begins to bleed, acknowledging that their sexual experience is not without consequences. Nonetheless, their relationship has been strengthened by this encounter, and they both go about their daily lives more fulfilled than before.
Line by Line Meaning
The bed's a mess when we're finished and at rest,
The state of the bed is chaotic at the end of our sexual act and when we're relaxed afterwards.
And I can just see the post-fuck flush across your chest.
Your chest displays the redness caused by the rush of blood to your skin in response to sexual excitement.
The telly's silent, the room's lit only by the screen,
The television is mute and the only source of light in the room.
And now we're perfect moulds with just our pulses in between.
Our hearts beating in synchronicity, we lay together intersected.
"Well, I'm not listening to what my mother said
"I'm not going to abide by my mother's conservative beliefs
What we're doing inside my bed.
Regarding our sexual activities
And I'm not pretending this time you're someone else,
I'm not imagining someone else in my mind like I used to.
But I'm cleaning these sheets all by myself."
I am clearing the evidence, the mess, all by myself.
Afterwards is best.
For me, the best part of sex is the aftermath.
You get up to get dressed.
You get up to put on your clothes.
I think your pants are by the door.
I believe your trousers are located by the entrance.
I think tomorrow we might be sore.
I assume that tomorrow our bodies might ache from the exertion.
Even in this light, your tits look white against the tanning,
Even in this lighting, your nipples contrast with the darkening effect of a tan.
And I know that we're a couple 'cause we went down the
The proof that we are a couple is our visit to the
Family Planning.
The contraceptives center where we visited.
It hit me in the waiting room waiting
I realized it when I was in the waiting room.
When you were getting what you need,
When you were receiving your contraceptive needs.
But I can't help be a bit disappointed when you start to bleed.
I can't help feeling a little bit upset when you begin to menstruate.
Afterwards is best.
Reinforcing the idea that the aftermath of sex is the most enjoyable part.
You get up to get dressed.
Putting your clothes back on.
I think your pants are by the door.
Identifying the location of your trousers once again.
Well, I think we might be sore.
Anticipating the physical soreness that our bodies may experience in the coming days.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Aidan Moffat, Malcolm Middleton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind