End of the Affair
Ben Howard/Musicfire.in Lyrics

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The end of the affair
The weight of the world
The kindness gone to bed
The way of your laughter
Alive in the halls
Did he hear, did he hear
The fumbled words you said

Living without her
Living at all
Seems to slow me down
Living forever
Hell, I don't know
Do I care, do I care
The thunder's rumbled sound

Now I watch her
Running 'round in love again
Now I talk about you
When I'm with our mutual friends

The end of the affair
The weight of the world
The kindness gone to bed
It's free of your laughter
Alive after all
Did he hear, did he hear
The fumbled words he said

Living without her
Living at all
Seems to slow me down
Living forever
Hell, I don't know
Do I care, do I care
The thunder's rumbled sound

Now I watch her
Running 'round in love again
Now I talk about you
When I'm with our mutual friends

Now I watch her
Running 'round in love again
Now I talk about you
When I'm with our mutual friends

This is it
This is just it
Go to him
What the hell, love?
What the hell?

This is it
This is just it
Go to him
What the hell, love?
What the hell?

This is it

What the hell, love?
What the hell?

Overall Meaning

"End of the Affair" by Ben Howard is a reflective and soulful song, driven by Howard's powerful vocals, intricate guitar work, and emotive lyrics. The song is about the end of a relationship, a love affair that has fizzled out and left the two partners struggling to come to terms with their newfound reality. The opening lines "The end of the affair, the weight of the world, the kindness gone to bed" set the tone for the rest of the song, as Howard explores the complex emotions of heartbreak, regret, and uncertainty.

The chorus of the song is particularly poignant, with Howard repeating the line "Living without her, living at all, seems to slow me down" which underscores the sense of emptiness and loss that the singer is experiencing. The lyrics also touch upon the idea of moving on, with the lines "Now I watch her running 'round in love again, now I talk about you when I'm with our mutual friends" suggesting that the singer is still reeling from the end of the relationship and struggling to let go.

Towards the end of the song, Howard introduces a different voice into the mix, with a mysterious character telling the singer to "go to him" and asking "what the hell, love?" The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they could be seen as a call to action, urging the singer to take control of their life and embrace the future, despite the pain of the past. Overall, "End of the Affair" is a potent and moving song that captures the raw emotions of heartbreak and loss, while also offering a glimmer of hope for the future.

Line by Line Meaning

The end of the affair
The termination of the romantic relationship

The weight of the world
The heavy burden of emotions and responsibilities

The kindness gone to bed
The end of the loving and compassionate behavior

The way of your laughter
The unique sound and expression of your happiness

Alive in the halls
Still echoes and resonates in the memory of the place

Did he hear, did he hear
Did he pay attention to the words spoken by you

The fumbled words you said
The nervous and unclear utterances you made

Living without her
Existing without her presence and affection

Living at all
Struggling to find a reason or purpose to continue to exist

Seems to slow me down
Makes me feel lethargic and unproductive

Living forever
Enduring the pain and agony indefinitely