Love In The Afternoon
Marianne Faithfull Lyrics


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It's getting dark outside
Daytime is done.
The lights along the river come up
One by one.
Let's make love again
We got time.
I am yours
You are mine.
It's getting dark outside
I have to go.
Don't want my husband
Or my friends to know.
Zip up my dress

I can't find my shoes.
Don't fall in love with me
Too much to lose.
The kids are home by now
Have to think fast.
I really think this afternoon
Must be the last.
Don't say anything,
Don't turn on the light.




Thanks for loving me,
Call you tonight.

Overall Meaning

In Marianne Faithfull's song Love in the Afternoon, the singer seems to be a woman who is having an affair with someone. The song begins with her acknowledging that the daytime is over, and the darkness is setting in. This image seems to represent the end of something - the end of their time together, perhaps. Despite this, she urges her lover to make love again, as they still have time. This sense of urgency is indicative of the affair being secret, and the two not being able to spend as much time together as they would like.


As the song progresses, it becomes clearer that the woman is married and that her lover is not her husband. She is concerned about returning home and being found out, so she rushes to zip up her dress and find her shoes. As she leaves, she asks her lover not to fall in love with her as she has too much to lose. She is already breaking one promise by cheating on her husband, and falling in love with someone else would only complicate things further.


The last part of the song sees the woman leaving her lover's house and heading back to her life as a wife and mother. She is worried that her children might be home already, and she has to act quickly to avoid suspicion. The song ends with her thanking her lover for the time they spent together and promising to call him later. Overall, the song paints a vivid picture of the guilt and secrecy that comes with having an affair.


Line by Line Meaning

It's getting dark outside
The daytime has ended, and the sun is going down


The lights along the river come up
Streetlights along the river turn on one by one


Let's make love again
Let's have sex with each other one more time


We got time
We have sufficient time to do what we want to do


I am yours
I completely belong to you in this moment


You are mine
You are completely mine in this moment


I have to go
I must leave now


Don't want my husband
I prefer that my spouse doesn't discover my affair


Or my friends to know
I prefer that no one, especially my friends, finds out about our secret affair


Zip up my dress
Please help me close my outfit


I can't find my shoes
I can't locate my shoes


Don't fall in love with me
Please don't develop feelings for me that go beyond a physical affair


Too much to lose
If we have an emotional connection, it will jeopardize our current arrangement and potentially lead to the loss of everything


The kids are home by now
Our children are most probably back from school or wherever they might have been by now


Have to think fast
We need to act quickly and make a swift exit


I really think this afternoon must be the last
I believe that we should end this affair today and never see each other again


Don't say anything
Please don't speak, let's leave everything unspoken, without explanation


Don't turn on the light
Please don't brighten the room, keep it dark


Thanks for loving me
I appreciate that you shared this time with me


Call you tonight
I will call you later tonight




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANGELO BADALAMENTI, MARIANNE FAITHFULL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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