Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
The Ken Peplowski Quintet Lyrics

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I don't want you
But I hate to lose you
You've got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea

I forgive you
'Cause I can't forget you
You've got me in between

The devil and the deep blue sea

I ought to cross you off my list
But when you come a-knocking at my door
Fate seems to give my heart a twist
And I come running back for more

I should hate you
But I guess I love you

You've got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea

Overall Meaning

The Ken Peplowski Quintet's song "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" is a song that talks about being caught in a difficult situation where one must choose between two evils. The lyrics talk about a person who is stuck in a love-hate relationship with their partner. The singer admits that they do not want their partner but also hates the thought of losing them. They are trapped "in between the devil and the deep blue sea," an idiom that suggests being stuck between two difficult choices.

The second verse talks about forgiving the partner even though they cannot forget them. The singer feels that they should cross their partner off their list and move on, but they can't seem to resist when the partner comes knocking at their door. Fate seems to twist their heart and they find themselves running back for more. The final verse suggests that the singer should hate their partner, but admits they love them. The partner has them stuck in the same difficult position "in between the devil and the deep blue sea."

Overall, the song's lyrics convey a feeling of being trapped in an unhealthy relationship that one cannot seem to break free from. The idiom "between the devil and the deep blue sea" perfectly describes this feeling of being stuck between two difficult choices.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't want you
I do not desire you

But I hate to lose you
But I fear losing you

You've got me in between
You have placed me in a difficult position

The devil and the deep blue sea
A situation with two undesirable or dangerous options

I forgive you
I pardon you

'Cause I can't forget you
Because I am unable to erase you from my memory

I ought to cross you off my list
I should eliminate you from my life

But when you come a-knocking at my door
But when you return to me

Fate seems to give my heart a twist
Destiny brings a sudden change to my emotions

And I come running back for more
And I return to you for further involvement

I should hate you
I ought to despise you