In their early days, Swedish indie popsters the Loveninjas really did dress… Read Full Bio ↴In their early days, Swedish indie popsters the Loveninjas really did dress like ninjas on-stage and sing tongue in cheek ninja-related love songs. But poses like that can only last so long, and by the time of this, their debut album, singer/songwriter Thor Helmstein has let that particular joke die a graceful death. Not that The Secret of the Loveninjas is lacking in a sense of humor: two of the best songs on the album are the Stone Roses-like jangle-dance hybrid "Do Me" and the manic twee pop rush of "She Broke His Penis in Two." Indeed, the band that comes to mind most often when listening to The Secret of the Loveninjas is the perpetually sardonic Sparks; not only does Helmstein regularly slip comfortably into a falsetto similar to Russell Mael's, the unexpected melodic twists and arrangements blending new wave synthesizers with bright, crisply strummed electric guitars often recall various periods of the Mael brothers' eclectic career. But Sparks have never quite managed winsomeness, and that's the quality The Secret of the Loveninjas has in spades: even on the hushed, mournful closer "My Lust Is Dead" and in the stalker-ish, semi-desperate lyrics and pulsating disco beat of the first single "I Wanna Be Like Johnny C," Helmstein simply sounds so gosh-darn genial and sweet-natured that the overall mood never turns as dark as the band perhaps wanted. Closer to the mark are tunes like the playful "Little Black Friends," a twist on the monsters-under-the-bed tale, and the wistful shoegazer pop of "Earl Grey with Honey." Relentlessly melodic in the spun-sugar fashion of the best Swedish indie pop and filled with personality, The Secret of the Loveninjas is a pure twee pop delight.

Keep Your Love
Loveninjas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I lost my bag on the train
(Lost his bag now what a shame)
You lost your mind all the same
(Lost her mind now she's insane)
What can I do to get out?
Understand my doubt
(Do I have to shout?)

You can keep your love, You can keep your love
You can keep your love away from me
You can keep your love!

We've been around to cafés
(Calls me twice now everyday)
And I don't know what to say
(Can't you see that I am gay?)
You stick to me like glue
Why won't you realize we're through
(Because I don't love you!)

You can keep your love, You can keep your love

You can keep your love away from me
You can keep your love!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Loveninjas's song Keep Your Love describe a situation where two people in a relationship have grown apart, but one person (the singer) is struggling to break free from the other's affections. The first two lines of the song suggest that the relationship might have been intense and perhaps even overwhelming for the singer, who has "lost his bag on the train" - a metaphor for losing control of his own life. Meanwhile, the other person has "lost her mind all the same," suggesting that she is unable to let go of the relationship and may be becoming emotionally unstable.

The chorus of the song sees the singer pleading with the other person to "keep your love away from me." He recognizes that he needs to distance himself from the relationship in order to regain his sense of self and move on. However, the other person is still trying to hold on, calling the singer multiple times a day and not accepting that the relationship is over. The third verse sees the singer expressing exasperation at the situation, telling the other person that they are "like glue" and that the relationship is truly over - he too feels strongly about not being with her anymore, saying "because I don't love you!"

Overall, Keep Your Love is a song that explores the aftermath of a relationship that has run its course, with one half struggling to let go while the other tries to gain independence. It highlights the importance of communication and recognizing when it's time to move on from a toxic relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

I lost my bag on the train
What a shame that I lost my bag on the train

You lost your mind all the same
It's crazy how you lost your mind like I lost my bag

What can I do to get out?
I wonder how I can escape this situation

Understand my doubt
Do you really comprehend my uncertainty?

You can keep your love, You can keep your love
I don't want your love, you can hold onto it yourself

You can keep your love away from me
I prefer if you keep your love away from me

We've been around to cafés
We've visited many cafes together

And I don't know what to say
I'm at a loss for words

You stick to me like glue
You're always clinging to me

Why won't you realize we're through
Why can't you understand that we're done?

You can keep your love!
Once again, I don't want your love