A 4 song 7” E.P. led by the track “I Think I Need You” was released on Elefant Records of Madrid (Camera Obscura, Au Revoir Simone et al), in June 2009.
Their most recent album, Flashbacks mixes their earlier upbeat brit-pop with a repertoire of horns, strings, and background vocals.
The End Of The Affair
The Lodger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It’s 4 o’clock in the morning
Where I am
I cannot talk to you right now
But I can
If it means you’ll go away
Squeeze my hand
The circulation in my arm
But i’ll succumb once again
To your charm
If it means you’ll go away
Wait, don’t be the one to seal our fate
But as you’re starting a debate
I’ll leave you crying at the gate
I’ll leave you lying in
A state of disrepair
Until the end of the affair
Don’t want to chat
If you’ll just give me back
The keys to my flat
It will simply take 2 seconds
And that will ensure I’ll go away
Read my lips
The story’s over
And you must get to grips
With our future now that
We’ve lost our scripts
We’re not acting out your play
Bye bye baby
Baby goodbye
And I will leave up to you
One day you might find someone new
Someone who hasn’t got a clue
Just what a nightmare you can be
Then you can run into the sunset
If you dare
Until the end of the affair
The Lodger's song "The End of the Affair" explores the breakdown of a romantic relationship. The first lines of the song, "Don’t understand / It’s 4 o’clock in the morning / Where I am / I cannot talk to you right now / But I can / If it means you’ll go away," suggest that the singer is tired of the relationship and wants to end it, but fears confrontation. The use of the phrase "If it means you'll go away" implies that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to end the relationship and move on.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more assertive, declaring that the relationship is over and that the other party needs to move on. The lines "Read my lips / The story’s over / And you must get to grips / With our future now that / We’ve lost our scripts / We’re not acting out your play" demonstrate that the singer has come to terms with the fact that the relationship is over and is ready to move on.
The chorus, "Until the end of the affair," is a recurring theme in the song, emphasizing that the relationship is truly over and that both parties need to move on. The use of the phrase "Until the end of the affair" suggests finality and closure.
Line by Line Meaning
Don’t understand
I am unable to comprehend what is happening between us
It’s 4 o’clock in the morning
It is very late at night and I am exhausted
Where I am
I am physically present, but my mind is elsewhere
I cannot talk to you right now
I do not have the emotional energy to have a conversation with you in this moment
But I can
However, if it means that you will leave me alone, I am willing to try
If it means you’ll go away
I am willing to put in effort to end our relationship if it means you will leave me alone
Squeeze my hand
Physical pain is preferable to the emotional pain that you cause me
‘Til it cuts off
I am willing to endure physical discomfort if it means you will go away
The circulation in my arm
I am willing to sacrifice my own well-being if it means you will leave me alone
But i’ll succumb once again
However, I know that I will eventually give in to your manipulations again
To your charm
You have a way of convincing me to stay in this unhealthy relationship
Wait, don’t be the one to seal our fate
I am asking you not to be the one who makes the final decision about ending our relationship
But as you’re starting a debate
Even though I have asked you not to, you are still trying to convince me to stay
I’ll leave you crying at the gate
I am willing to walk away, even if it makes you upset
I’ll leave you lying in
I am willing to let you suffer the consequences of your actions
A state of disrepair
I am leaving you in a state of emotional turmoil
Until the end of the affair
Our relationship is over and I will not continue to engage in this cycle of manipulation and pain
Don’t want to chat
I do not want to talk to you anymore
If you’ll just give me back
If you can return to me
The keys to my flat
The physical keys to my living space
It will simply take 2 seconds
This is a quick and easy solution to our current situation
And that will ensure I’ll go away
Having control of my living space will mean that I am able to distance myself from you
Read my lips
Listen to what I am saying
The story’s over
Our relationship has come to an end
And you must get to grips
You need to confront the reality of our situation
With our future now that
We need to figure out what comes next
We’ve lost our scripts
Our relationship has deviated from the expectations we had for it
We’re not acting out your play
I will no longer participate in the manipulative and destructive dynamic that you have created
Bye bye baby
Goodbye
Baby goodbye
Farewell
And I will leave up to you
It is ultimately your decision how you want to move forward
One day you might find someone new
You have the potential to form healthy relationships with other people
Someone who hasn’t got a clue
Someone who is not aware of the negative patterns that you have exhibited in past relationships
Just what a nightmare you can be
They will not know how manipulative and destructive you can be
Then you can run into the sunset
You will have the opportunity to start fresh and form healthy relationships
If you dare
If you have the courage to confront your negative behaviors and make positive changes
Until the end of the affair
Our relationship is over and I will not continue to engage in this cycle of manipulation and pain
Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.