A collaboration eight years in the making, Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat's pa… Read Full Bio ↴A collaboration eight years in the making, Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat's paths first crossed in 2003 when Arab Strap invited Bill to contribute some music to their new album, Monday At The Hug & Pint. It was then that Aidan and Bill (a respected bassist, pianist and experimental jazz composer) resolved to make an album together, with the first recordings taking place shortly after the Hug & Pint sessions. Wheels turn slowly in the world of music collaborations though, and it's been an elongated creative process bringing an album's worth of material together.

Let's Stop Here
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat Lyrics

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You know that I would love it, it would be such a thrill to kiss new lips,
to stop and pause for breath, to sigh then pull you closer by the hips,
to squeeze a fist of hair, to slide my fingers underneath your dress,
to solve a teenage mystery, to know what I could only ever guess.

But you've been gone for years and I've fallen in love since you left town,
I'm happy, I am spoken for, attached, under the thumb; I've settled down.
Then you turn up to tempt me, older, wiser, sexier and free,

and you know what I'm like, or at least you know the way I used to be.

Now I'm not saying that I've changed, I'm not entirely sure I even can,
the old me's still inside; the same mind, same heart, same soul, I'm the same man.

It's the same arms wrapped around you, the same lips and the same tongue beside your ear,
and they know they might regret it as they whisper these three words: Let's stop here.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat's song Let's Stop Here describe a moment of temptation and conflicting emotions. The singer begins by admitting that he would love to kiss someone new, to experience the thrill of the unknown. He describes the physical aspects of this desire - the touch of hips, hair, and dress - and the emotional component, the longing to solve a mystery and know something that has always been out of reach. But the singer then acknowledges that he has already moved on from this desire. He is happily spoken for, settled down, and committed to someone else.

The conflict arises when an old flame re-enters the picture. The singer describes the old flame as older, wiser, sexier, and free, acknowledging that this person knows him well and knows the way he used to be. The singer is clear that he has not fundamentally changed, that he still has the same mind, heart, and soul. The same arms, lips, and tongue that were once part of that old desire are now wrapped around this old flame. The moment of temptation is framed as a decision point, with the singer whispering, "Let's stop here," fully aware of the implications of continuing down that path.

Overall, the song explores the complexity of desire and commitment, the tension between the past and the present. It acknowledges the pull of nostalgia and the longing to return to a time when desire was simpler and less complicated, but ultimately concludes that the present is worth staying committed to.

Line by Line Meaning

You know that I would love it, it would be such a thrill to kiss new lips,
I am tempted to explore physical intimacy with someone new, and the thrill of the unknown is exciting me.

to stop and pause for breath, to sigh then pull you closer by the hips,
I want to experience shortness of breath while holding you close, tightening my grip around your hips.

to squeeze a fist of hair, to slide my fingers underneath your dress,
I want to grab your hair in my fist and slide my hand underneath your dress, exploring your body.

to solve a teenage mystery, to know what I could only ever guess.
I seek answers to the uncertainty I had during my teenage years, exploring my physical and emotional desires.

But you've been gone for years and I've fallen in love since you left town,
I have moved on since you left town, exploring new relationships and forming deep connections with someone else.

I'm happy, I am spoken for, attached, under the thumb; I've settled down.
I am content in my current relationship and feel committed to the person I am with, ready to commit to a long-term partnership.

Then you turn up to tempt me, older, wiser, sexier and free,
You have returned, and your newfound maturity, confidence, and sex appeal tempt me to revisit past desires.

and you know what I'm like, or at least you know the way I used to be.
You understand my past tendencies well and are using them to tempt me into doing something I know I shouldn't.

Now I'm not saying that I've changed, I'm not entirely sure I even can,
I am not implying that I have changed my behavior or outgrown my old desires, I'm unsure if I ever will.

the old me's still inside; the same mind, same heart, same soul, I'm the same man.
My inner self is still the same person that you knew, with the same thoughts, passions, and desires.

It's the same arms wrapped around you, the same lips and the same tongue beside your ear,
The physical attraction I feel towards you is still the same, with the same arms, lips, and tongue that I used to express my desires.

and they know they might regret it as they whisper these three words: Let's stop here.
I know deep down that I might regret giving in to these temptations, but I find myself saying the words 'Let's stop here' anyways, hoping to cling to some sense of self-control.

Contributed by Camden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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