Heartland

I've been wreaking havoc on my brain trying to interpret this but can't come up with something that I will keep agreeing to for more than a few hours.

Any helpful insight will be much appreciated

Perhaps he was saying that he was wrong.

Also, welcome to Heartland.

You say stay and never leave
You say meant for ever
I could believe you, but I don't
You say we're almost all alone together
All alone
You say
You say you will
I know you won't

CHORUS
I was wrong
I was wrong to ever doubt
I can get along without
I can love my fellow man
But I'm damned if I'll love yours

In a bar that's always closing
In a world where people shout
I don't wanna talk this over
I don't wanna talk it out
I was quite impressed until I hit the floor
Isn't that what friends are for?
Pain looks great on other people
That's what they're for
CHORUS

[Repeat 1]

CHORUS

In a bar that's always closing
In a world where people shout
I don't wanna talk this over
I don't wanna talk it out
I was quite impressed until I hit the floor
Isn't that what friends are for?
Pain looks great on other men
That's what they're for

What's that website that picks all the lyrics to bits? can't find it now....I think Dark is on the right lines.

http://1959.tsom.org ?

I Was Wrong
Again I'm not aware of allusions in the song, or phrases which need explanation, which isn't to say that I'm confident about what the song means to any great depth.

Welcome

Obviousman wrote:http://1959.tsom.org ?

That'll be the one Z.

Welcome to HL.

This may be tainted from personal experience, but I took it to mean that he is not having any more to do with his girl-friend f**king around with someone else.

Sperling wrote:I've been wreaking havoc on my brain trying to interpret this but can't come up with something that I will keep agreeing to for more than a few hours.

Any helpful insight will be much appreciated

Eldritch is having fun with language once again. At first you think the song is about the speaker admitting that he was wrong. However, the only thing he admits to being wrong about is doubting that he could survive without his lover. He asserts that he can get along without her ("I was wrong to doubt / I can get along without"). In the song the speaker is defending himself against the accusation that he is cruel and unable to love. The line "Yeah, I can love my fellow man" is a reply to that, but then he adds that he is not going to love his ex-lover's new man ("But I'm damned if I'll love yours.)

I could go on, but I won't!


"I Was Wrong"
You say stay and never leave
You say meant for ever
I could believe you, but I don't
You say we're almost all alone together
All alone
You say
You say you will
I know you won't

CHORUS
I was wrong
I was wrong to ever doubt
I can get along without
I can love my fellow man
But I'm damned if I'll love yours

In a bar that's always closing
In a world where people shout
I don't wanna talk this over
I don't wanna talk it out
I was quite impressed until I hit the floor
Isn't that what friends are for?
Pain looks great on other people
That's what they're for
CHORUS

[Repeat 1]

CHORUS

In a bar that's always closing
In a world where people shout
I don't wanna talk this over
I don't wanna talk it out
I was quite impressed until I hit the floor
Isn't that what friends are for?
Pain looks great on other men
That's what they're for

i would say that petseri and doctor e have got it in a nutshell. one of von's less obscure lyrics i've always thought.

eastmidswhizzkid wrote:i would say that petseri and doctor e have got it in a nutshell. one of von's less obscure lyrics i've always thought.

Yeah, spot on.

But if your finale conclusion alleges that the song ultimately regards a relationship, you're wrong...but please don't ask me what it's about, i'm far too subjective to offer an explanation that would satisfy anyone else but myself.

itnAklipse wrote:But if your finale conclusion alleges that the song ultimately regards a relationship, you're wrong...but please don't ask me what it's about, i'm far too subjective to offer an explanation that would satisfy anyone else but myself.

If it's subjective, how are they wrong?

i'm never wrong.

even when i'm incorrect.

I've got the clue to this one now ... ...

It's Von's final address towards Wayne .... ...

Are you gonna post this for every song?

stufarq wrote:Are you gonna post this for every song?

No. Why? Just asking?

Dommage.

Bump.
I'm very interested in the lines in a bar that's always closing... In a world where people shout. I don't wanna talk this over, I don't wanna talk this out.
thanks in advance!

I think eastmidlandswhizzkid is right when he says it's not the most obscure of 's songs.

That line sort of suggests that the doors are closing & he's not getting any more to drink (or anything else) & he just wants to be left in peace.

Whereas, prior to that, he appears to be wracked with guilt (or pain) that just won't stop bugging him, hence all the bitter jibes.
So imagine being betrayed by someone close & the reaction to it.
Anger, bitterness & then into realisation that continuing in that vein is only making it last longer & you need to drop all the talk & BS & get on with life.

My two penneth

Oooh fancy that, Thanks!

It was clearly about his ex-girlfriend’s new love – Von couldn’t bear him.
I have read it recently in a 1990 interview. I will quote it precisely in the evening.

New Musical Express - 15 December, 1990

'Vision Thing is a rock reckord, isn't it?
Eldritch smiles slowly. "Yeah", he mutters ironically. "You're supposed to start off by telling us how great it is! Ego massage...
It's a very arrogant record. I like the last song."
The last song is 'I Was Wrong'. It is the nastiest goodbye song in pop history, a complete refusal to be pleasant to you ex's new geezer. "Yes. I can love my fellow man" rumbles Eldritch. "But I'll be damned if I'll love yours." Very sensitive.
"It's sensitive in the way Himmler was sensitive" counters Eldritch.

"I used to have and maybe still do - although totally unfairly - a reputation as a sensitive and very morose sort of person. Most people's idea of sensitive is very maudlin. This is not a maudlin record."
Indeed it ain't. The songs are of two kinds, by and large. There are thoughtful ones about how crap Andrew's girlfriend is - which are brilliant pouting sarcasm and anger - and there are crazee rock ones which are huge lists of American things."

Joy wrote: The last song is 'I Was Wrong'. It is the nastiest goodbye song in pop history, a complete refusal to be pleasant to you ex's new geezer. "Yes. I can love my fellow man" rumbles Eldritch. "But I'll be damned if I'll love yours."

That's how I'm hearing it, too, however I dimly recall seeing a post on here claiming that the song was about a guitarist who'd always hook up with other women behind his girlfriend's back when he was on tour.

rien wrote:

Joy wrote: The last song is 'I Was Wrong'. It is the nastiest goodbye song in pop history, a complete refusal to be pleasant to you ex's new geezer. "Yes. I can love my fellow man" rumbles Eldritch. "But I'll be damned if I'll love yours."

That's how I'm hearing it, too, however I dimly recall seeing a post on here claiming that the song was about a guitarist who'd always hook up with other women behind his girlfriend's back when he was on tour.

Didn't Von once say he wrote it for Andreas? I don't remember anything about him hooking up with other women (which doesn't mean you're wrong about the post - I just don't remember it) and had always assumed the vitriol was aimed at the guitarist's girlfriend, but I could be wrong.

While I don't disagree with the interpretation, it should be pointed out that Von confirms nothing in Joy's quote. It appears to be entirely the journalist's opinion.

It is the journalist indeed saying this opinion but I think an agreement from Von was necessary before the release. But who knows maybe 25 years ago the journalist could write something very different from what had been said in reality.

Isn't "The bar that's always closing" etc line mean that him and the ex always end up shouting at each other?