Honeyhoney is the jazzy, twangy, rollicking collaboration between vocalist … Read Full Bio ↴Honeyhoney is the jazzy, twangy, rollicking collaboration between vocalist Suzanne Santo and guitarist Ben Jaffe. Prior to joining the duo, Jaffe recorded music for TV and film; he then met Santo (an actress whose resume included stints on Law & Order and Blind Justice) through a mutual friend, who took Jaffe to see one of Santo's solo gigs. The two began holding informal songwriting sessions and soon discovered a musical partnership. Adopting the name honeyhoney, they also discovered an early supporter in Kiefer Sutherland, who signed the band to Ironworks Music, a label he co-owns with musician Jude Cole.

Honeyhoney made their studio debut by issuing the Loose Boots EP in early 2008; the musicians then hit the road with Lifehouse (another band on the Ironworks roster) while finding time to work on their debut album. First Rodeo was released later that year, featuring varied influences that ranged from crossover jazz to neo-soul to engaging alt-country.

Venice, California

http://www.myspace.com/honeyhoneyband

Not For Long
honeyhoney Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We'll leave she said
Blowing smoke from her white cigarette
And I don't mind
Leaving you without a long goodbye

And maybe I won't miss you when I'm gone
But darling you know to leave your light on

Dressed in white
Another loud and lonesome city night
Six more flights and I'm doing things your mama
Wouldn't like

And maybe I won't miss you when I'm gone
Baby, you're a light that won't turn on

But not for long
Not for long

Days make tips
Twice as much with lips and swinging hips
Kiss by kiss
Every single time it's hit or miss

And maybe you won't miss me when I'm gone
I need you when I can't keep moving on

But not for long
Not for long
Not for long
Not for long

Not for long
Not for long

Overall Meaning

The song 'Not For Long' by honeyhoney is a bittersweet tune about a couple moving on from each other. The opening lines "We'll leave she said / Blowing smoke from her white cigarette / And I don't mind / Leaving you without a long goodbye" establishes the fact that the couple are ending their relationship abruptly. The singer claims that they might not miss their partner when they leave, but wants to leave with the comfort of knowing that their partner will always be there when they need them. The line "Darling you know to leave your light on", suggests that the singer is leaving with the hope that someday they might come back.

In the second verse, we learn that the singer is leaving for a new place and plans to do things that their partner's mother wouldn't approve of. This line infers that the couple had conflicting values and interests. The lines "And maybe I won't miss you when I'm gone / Baby, you're a light that won't turn on" highlights the fact that their love has lost its initial spark and the singer's heart is no longer in it. The chorus "But not for long" is repeated several times throughout the song, implying that perhaps both parties still have some attachment to each other, even though they know they need to move on.

In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that work has become a coping mechanism for them, especially since they can't deal with their emotions. They need their partner to be there for them when they are emotionally exhausted and worn out from work. The line "I need you when I can't keep moving on" suggests that the singer is willing to reach out when things get rocky. The song ends with the chorus "Not for long" repeated several times, perhaps suggesting that their separation is temporary.

Line by Line Meaning

We'll leave she said
She announces that they will leave.

Blowing smoke from her white cigarette
She is smoking a cigarette and blowing smoke out.

And I don't mind
The singer doesn't care about leaving.

Leaving you without a long goodbye
They will not say goodbye for a long time.

And maybe I won't miss you when I'm gone
The singer might not miss the person when they are gone.

But darling you know to leave your light on
The person should leave the light on so the singer can find their way back.

Dressed in white
The singer is wearing white clothes.

Another loud and lonesome city night
It's a typical noisy and lonely city night.

Six more flights and I'm doing things your mama Wouldn't like
The singer will take six flights to do things that the person's mother wouldn't approve of.

And maybe I won't miss you when I'm gone
The singer might not miss the person when they are gone.

Baby, you're a light that won't turn on
The person isn't responding to the singer's attempts to contact them.

Days make tips
The days lead to money earned from tips.

Twice as much with lips and swinging hips
She earns more tips by kissing customers and dancing provocatively.

Kiss by kiss
The singer earns money by kissing customers.

Every single time it's hit or miss
Sometimes the singer earns money and sometimes they don't.

And maybe you won't miss me when I'm gone
The person might not miss the singer when they are gone.

I need you when I can't keep moving on
The singer needs the person when they are feeling tired and can't keep going.

But not for long
The feeling of needing the person won't last for long.

Not for long
The feeling of needing the person won't last for long.

Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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