January Man
Nick Heyward Lyrics

Secondary lovers ferry
The singer and the woman in question are not each other's primary partners, but rather secondary lovers who ferry back and forth between each other.

I could be your dream
The singer is trying to appeal to the woman and imagines himself as someone who could fulfill her dreams.

Contrary to the fact that I can't read your mind
Despite not being able to read the woman's mind, the singer believes he knows how she feels and what she wants.

She's gone very solitary
The woman has become increasingly solitary and independent recently.

Lately I'm without my cherry
The artist has lost something that was previously important to him, possibly a metaphor for his sexual innocence or the woman he thought he knew.

She's into grabbing all she can
The woman is driven by self-interest and is focused on accumulating as much as possible.

I know that we can't carry on
The singer knows that their relationship cannot continue as it is.

No chance to finish what we've done
They will not be able to pursue a future together and must let go of what they had.

So take a piece of what's been happening
The artist encourages the woman to take something away from their relationship and learn from her experiences.

Learn from every trick she's given
The woman should reflect on the ways in which she has manipulated or used others in the past and try to grow from those experiences.

Don't expect to ever see her
The singer warns that the woman will not come back to him once she has moved on.

She's just used her for her mister
The woman was only using the artist for her own purposes and has no real feelings for him.

January and the ferry
The singer references a specific time and place, anchored in January and on a ferry.

To the real man she will marry
The woman is not meant to be with the singer, but rather with someone else she will eventually marry.

She could smash through any picket line
The woman is strong-willed and able to overcome any obstacles in her path.

There's one thing I know now
The artist has gained insight and clarity about the situation and the woman's true nature.

I bet that she'll always get by
The woman will always find a way to succeed, even if it means using others to get there.

I was such a fool not to admit
The singer recognizes his own foolishness and regrets not seeing the situation clearly sooner.

To my best friends that I was
The singer did not want to admit to his friends that he was involved with the woman in question.

Taken blind with her good looks
The artist was initially blinded by the woman's physical appearance.

I swore that it was her mind
The artist convinced himself that he was more attracted to the woman's intelligence or personality than her looks.

She even said she'd liked my family
The woman may have been manipulating the artist by pretending to be interested in his family or other personal values.

Yet she never led me to her bed
Despite the intimacy they shared, the woman never took things to a physical level with the singer.

There was that once when we got close
The artist recalls a specific moment where they came close to being intimate, but it did not happen.

She said stop before everybody knows
The woman was concerned about their actions being found out or becoming public knowledge.

Another day, another up the junction
The singer may be referring to the Squeeze song 'Up The Junction', which tells a similar story of a failed relationship. He implies that this is just another disappointing experience.

Take my hand into destruction
The singer seems to be embracing the negative consequences of his actions instead of trying to avoid them.

Heaven help me find out
The artist is looking for divine guidance or intervention to understand the woman's true intentions.

What that girl was all about
The artist is frustrated and confused about the woman's motivations and emotions.

Oh, I can't believe the temporary
The singer is disappointed by the fleeting nature of their relationship and what it has become.

Way you run your January
The woman's behavior and actions during the month of January have left an impression on the singer, likely not a positive one.

Surely I could easily change your mind
The artist is suggesting that the woman could be persuaded to stay with him or change her course of action.

Lucy was my lady, she had
The artist contrasts the woman with another person he knew previously, named Lucy.

Pockets full of laser beams
This is likely a metaphorical image, suggesting that Lucy had a strong, focused energy or passion about her.

But diamonds really were
The woman the singer is currently involved with may have been more materialistic than Lucy.

This girl's best friend
Diamonds are known as 'a girl's best friend', so the artist is again highlighting the materialistic nature of his current lover.

Then what did I mean to you?
The singer is questioning what his relationship with the woman meant to her, and whether it was real or just a game.

Was I just the man who kept your meter
The singer wonders if he was only a source of temporary satisfaction or pleasure for the woman.

Running till another mister
The woman will continue to run or seek other partners to fill the same role that the singer did in her life.

The military
An abrupt non-sequitur, possibly suggesting that the artist's thoughts have become disjointed or affected by his emotions.

January takes the ferry
The artist repeats the earlier image of January and the ferry, possibly as a way to bring the song full circle or emphasize its importance.

Oh, I can't believe the military
The singer again uses a stark and jarring phrase to express his disbelief and frustration with the situation.

Way you ran your January
By repeating this line, the singer is suggesting that the woman behaved a certain way throughout the whole month of January and that he remains affected by it.

Surely you could easily change my mind
In contrast to an earlier line, the artist now suggests that the woman could easily change his mind about their relationship or her true character.

There's one thing I know now
The artist is still holding on to the idea that he has gained some sort of insight or clarity from the experience.

I bet that you'll always get by
The woman's resourcefulness and use of others will likely allow her to continue succeeding in her endeavors.

I was just your January man
The singer accepts that he was only a temporary, insignificant part of the woman's life, represented by the month of January.

I was Mr. January Man
The artist further emphasizes his role as a disposable, unimportant figure in the woman's life.