Although a vein of social and political humor runs though even his earliest work, Bern's work became more explicitly political during the 2004 US presidential election campaign, with songs such as "Bush Must Be Defeated" and "President" highlighting his sometimes surreal political takes.
Bern is reflexively literate, in the style of his favorite authors, including L.A.'s legendary bohemians Charles Bukowski and John Fante, urbane fantasist James Thurber, and yarn-spinning humorist Ring Lardner. He is in love with the power of words to turn on themselves, to frolic, to bite, and his strong, friendly voice can go from earnest to ferocious within seconds. Being captivated by Dan is the easy part; describing his music to the non-initiated is more difficult. One journalist tried: "topical-poetical-sarcastic-punk-folk." An admirable effort, further elaborated by the New York Times: "He veers from comedy to anger, conjectures to shaggy-dog stories; he takes sidelong approaches to theology, science fiction, consumer culture, art, love and baseball."
Two-Month Affair
Dan Bern Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just another two-month affair
Just me and the world again
I'll be all right
I'll be all right
It's just that I didn't know
Seeing my boy and my girl in your eyes
Just another two-month affair
I'll be all right
I'll be all right
It's just that I didn't know
And the trees we are passing
Keep on growing and growing
And growing and growing and growing
Maybe this time I'll decide
Never, never, never get hurt again
Me and the world again
Give me a minute, I'll walk again
Just me and the world again
I'll be all right
Really all right
It's just that I didn't know
I'll be all right
Really all right
It's just that I didn't know
Just me and the world again
Just me and the world again
Just me and the world again
The song "Two-Month Affair" by Dan Bern is a melancholic reflection on a failed romantic relationship that lasted only two months. The singer is trying to come to terms with the end of the relationship and his own emotions. He finds himself back in the world alone after the brief interlude of being with his former partner. Although he maintains that he will be alright, he is admitting that he didn't expect this breakup, which is likely the source of his pain.
The repetition of the line "Just me and the world again" highlights the feeling of isolation and loneliness experienced by the singer. He is attempting to reconcile what he thought was a happy and fulfilling relationship with the reality that it has ended. The shift from using "we" language to "me" language in the chorus emphasizes the separation inherent in the breakup. The singer is trying to find solace in the natural world, symbolized by the trees, but it is unclear whether he will be successful in this endeavor.
Overall, "Two-Month Affair" is a sobering reminder of the fragility of romantic love and the profound emotional impact of even short-lived relationships. It speaks to the universal human experience of loss and the need for resilience in the face of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Now it's just me and the world again
Now that the two-month affair is over, I am left alone with the world.
It's just another two-month affair
This was just another brief relationship that lasted for two months.
Just me and the world again
I am back to being alone with the world as the relationship has ended.
I'll be all right
I will be okay and able to move on from this relationship.
I'll be all right
I will be able to cope and recover from the end of this relationship.
It's just that I didn't know
I was not prepared for the end of this relationship and it has taken me by surprise.
Seeing my boy and my girl in your eyes
I saw my children reflected in your eyes and it made me feel closer to you.
Playing with me, playing with you
We were just having fun together, without any serious commitment.
And the trees we are passing
As we drive past the trees, I am reminded of the passage of time and how everything continues to change.
Keep on growing and growing
The trees continue to grow and change, just like our relationship did.
Maybe this time I'll decide
Perhaps this time I will make a decision about how to protect myself from future heartbreak.
Never, never, never get hurt again
I want to avoid getting hurt again in future relationships at all costs.
Give me a minute, I'll walk again
Despite the end of this relationship, I just need some time to recover before moving on.
Really all right
I truly believe that I will be okay after this experience.
Just me and the world again
Once more, I am alone with only the world for company.
Contributed by Cooper W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.