When the Sun Goes Down
Arctic Monkeys / Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not Lyrics

So who's that girl there?
The singer is curious about a girl he sees on the street.

I wonder what went wrong
The singer is puzzled as to why the girl has to resort to wandering the streets.

So that she had to roam the streets
The singer questions why the girl must be out on the streets.

She don't do major credit cards
The girl doesn't have access to traditional methods of payment.

I doubt she does receipts
The artist doesn't think the girl has any way of keeping track of her earnings.

It's all not quite legitimate
The singer suspects that the girl's source of income is not entirely legal.

And what a scummy man
The singer observes a man who seems unpleasant.

Just give him half a chance
The man is likely to seize any opportunity presented to him.

I bet he'll rob you if he can
The man appears to have intentions of theft.

Can see it in his eyes, yeah
His intentions seem clear from his facial expressions.

That he's got a driving ban
The man is legally prohibited from driving.

Amongst some other offences
The man has likely committed other crimes as well.

And I've seen him with girls of the night
The singer has spotted the man with sex workers in the past.

He told roxanne to put on her red light
The man has solicited services from a sex worker before.

They're all infected but he'll be alright
The singer is criticizing the man for his lack of concern for his sexual health.

'Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know
The artist uses derogatory language to describe the man.

Although you're trying not to listen
The listener may not want to hear the artist's observations.

I bet your eyes are staring at the ground
The listener is likely feeling uncomfortable with the topic of conversation.

She makes a subtle proposition
The girl on the street hints at offering sexual services to the man she interacts with.

I'm sorry love I'll have to turn you down
The man declines the girl's offer of services.

And oh he must be up to something
The artist still feels suspicious of the man's motives.

Want half a chance to show he's more than likely
The man seems to be trying to prove something to the artist or to society at large.

I've got a feeling in my stomach
The singer has a sense of unease regarding the situation.

I start to wonder what his story might be
The artist is curious about the man's background and motivations.

They said it changes when the sun goes down
The singer is referring to the idea that the night brings out a different attitude in people.

Around here
This change in attitude is particularly apparent in the local area.

And look here comes a ford mondeo
The singer notices a specific kind of car approaching.

Isn't he mister inconspicuous
The man in the car seems to be trying to blend in and not draw attention to himself.

And he don't have to say 'owt
The man doesn't need to say anything for the girl to understand his intentions.

She's in the stance ready to get picked up
The girl assumes a posture that indicates she is ready to be picked up and offered services to the man in the car.

And she's delighted when she sees him
The girl is happy to have a potential customer.

Pulling in and giving her the eye
The man in the car is giving the girl a suggestive look.

Because she must be fucking freezing
The artist comments on the girl's clothing, which is not suited for the cold weather.

Scantily clad beneath the clear night sky
The girl is not wearing much clothing and the weather is clear and cold.

And don't stop in the winter no and
The sex industry and solicitation don't cease to exist during harsh weather conditions.

Over the river going out of town
The artist is observing the man and girl as they leave the city limits.

And what a scummy man
The singer repeats his earlier value judgment of the man.

Just give him half a chance
The man is still perceived as opportunistic in his behavior.

I bet he'll rob you if he can
The singer still believes that the man is likely to steal from others.

Can see it in his eyes that he's got a nasty plan
The man's intentions seem malicious to the artist.

I hope you're not involved at all
The artist hopes that the listener is not connected to the man's illegal activities in any way.