Duffy followed up her No.1 smash 'Mercy' with the gorgeously soulful 'Warwick Avenue', which charted at No.3 in June 2008 – the video for the song shows her leaving Warwick Avenue Tube Station in London in the back of a taxi. Meanwhile, 'Mercy' gained the accolade of 'Song Of The Year' on Mojo Magazine's 2008 honours list.
Warwick Avenue
Duffy Lyrics
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Meet me by the entrance of the tube
We can talk things over a little time
promise me you won't step by the line
When I get to Warwick Avenue
Please drop the past and be true
Don't think we're OK just because I'm here
I'm leaving you for the last time baby
You think you're loving but you don't love me
I've been confused outta' my mind lately
You think you're loving but I want to be free
Baby you've hurt me
When I get to Warwick Avenue oh
We'll spend an hour but no more than two
Our only chance to speak once more
I showed you the answers now here's the door
When I get to Warwick Avenue
I'll tell you baby, that we're through
I'm leaving you for the last time baby
You think you're loving but you don't love me
I've been confused outta my mind lately
You think you're loving but you don't love me
I want to be free, baby you've hurt me
All the days spent together, I wish for better
But I didn't want the train to come, now it's departed
I'm broken hearted, seems like we never started
All those things here together, when I wished for better
And I didn't want the train to come
You think you're loving, but you don't love me
I want to be free
Baby, you've hurt me, you don't love me
I want to be free, baby you've heard me
In Duffy's "Warwick Avenue," the singer is addressing someone who has hurt her badly, expressing her desire for honest communication and closure. She asks the person to meet her at Warwick Avenue, a subway station in London, where they can talk things over. However, she implores them to be true in their conversation, reminding them that being physically present isn't enough to solve their issues. She acknowledges that they have had their share of good times, but the relationship is not sustainable because of the pain caused by her partner.
The lyrics suggest that she has made the difficult decision to leave this person once and for all. She is honest about her emotional state, admitting that she has been confused and hurt. She even tells her loved one that they don't actually love her, despite their proclamations of affection. The repetition of the lines, "You think you're loving but you don't love me / I want to be free / Baby you've hurt me," serve as a powerful refrain that drives home her message of needing to move on.
Overall, the song is a raw and emotional depiction of the end of a tumultuous romantic relationship. It portrays the singer as someone who has been emotionally abused but is finding the courage to leave and start anew.
Line by Line Meaning
When I get to Warwick Avenue
Upon my arrival at Warwick Avenue
Meet me by the entrance of the tube
Come and see me at the station
We can talk things over a little time
We can discuss our issues for a short period
Promise me you won't step by the line
Make a commitment not to overstep your boundaries
Please drop the past and be true
Let go of our history and be honest
Don't think we're OK just because I'm here
Don't believe that everything's fine because I'm present
You hurt me bad but I won't shed a tear
You've caused me a lot of pain, but I won't cry
I'm leaving you for the last time baby
I'm ending our relationship for good
You think you're loving but you don't love me
You believe you love me, but you don't
I've been confused outta' my mind lately
I've been extremely confused lately
You think you're loving but I want to be free
Even though you feel love towards me, I want to be liberated
Baby you've hurt me
You've caused me a great deal of pain, my love
Our only chance to speak once more
This is the final opportunity for us to have a conversation
I showed you the answers now here's the door
I've given you the solutions, now leave
I'll tell you baby, that we're through
I'll inform you that we're finished, my love
All the days spent together, I wish for better
I’ve been hoping for a superior life together
But I didn't want the train to come, now it's departed
I didn't want the time for us to part to arrive and it's too late now
I'm broken hearted, seems like we never started
My heart is shattered, it appears that we never began our love story
All those things here together, when I wished for better
All the moments we had together, I wished for an improved time
And I didn't want the train to come
I didn’t desire the time to depart
You think you're loving, but you don't love me
You think you're in love, but you're not
I want to be free
I want to be unchained and out of the relationship
Baby, you've hurt me, you don't love me
Darling, you've caused me pain, you don't really adore me.
I want to be free, baby you've heard me
I want to be unattached, my love, you’ve understood my plea
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aimee Ann Duffy, James Dearness Hogarth, Francis Anthony White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind