The Mule
Heartache's Refrain: The Struggles of a Troubled Love
Lyrics
How many times must you call me in the morning before I wake up?
Expressing frustration with repeated attempts to wake up or become aware.
And how many times must I look at other girls before we break up?
Questioning the threshold of tolerance for looking at other people before a breakup.
And how many times must you criticise every single thing that you do?
Highlighting a critical attitude towards oneself and questioning its impact.
Before you
Transition or pause in the narrative.
Before you let me know
Asking to be informed or allowed to know before making decisions.
Before you let me go
Emphasizing the importance of communication before separation.
You really should have known
Suggesting an expectation of awareness or understanding.
And I'm a no-good gambling man with the wrong hand
Describing oneself as a flawed individual with a history of pain and disappointment.
Who's been hurt so many times
Questioning why the partner avoids direct eye contact with the speaker.
Why don't you look him in the eyes?
Suggesting a lack of emotional revelation or transparency.
Oh, you won't see nothing at all
Implying that there is nothing to see or understand in the speaker's eyes.
And how many times must I stumble in drunk before you scold me
Referencing a pattern of stumbling in a drunken state and anticipating reprimand.
Oh and why is it that you have to turn out all the lights before you hold me?
Questioning the need for darkness before receiving affection.
And how many years of fears, of falls, you broke my balls
Reflecting on accumulated years of anxieties, failures, and emotional pain.
Oh, I wish you never told me
Expressing regret for receiving certain information.
But before you let me know
Reiterating the importance of communication before decisions are made.
Before you let me go
Highlighting the significance of being aware before separation.
You really should have known
Reinforcing the expectation of understanding or awareness.
That I'm a no-good used-up bruised-up fucked-up boy
Describing oneself as damaged and worn out, emphasizing flaws.
Who gets beat up by just looking at you
Expressing vulnerability and the impact of the partner's presence on the speaker.
Oh, I'm a lonely soul
Conveying a sense of isolation and emptiness in the speaker's soul.
Lost every single thing I ever did own
Stating loss of possessions but emphasizing the inability to possess the partner.
But I could never own you
Acknowledging the inability to control or own the partner.
Go on and look him in the eye
Encouraging direct eye contact, possibly seeking emotional connection.
Oh, you just might see him cry
Suggesting the possibility of the speaker crying when looked in the eye.
Oh, you just might see him smile
Contrasting with the previous line, implying the possibility of the speaker smiling.
One more drink and I'll be fine
Connecting the consumption of alcohol with achieving a state of well-being.
One more girl to take you off my mind
Linking finding another person to thoughts of the partner, as a coping mechanism.
One more drink and I'll be fine
Repeating the association of drinking with emotional recovery.
One more girl to take you off my mind
Reiterating the idea of finding someone else to replace thoughts of the partner.
One more drink and I'll be fine
Continuing the theme of using alcohol as a coping mechanism.
One more girl to take you off my mind
Repeating the desire to find someone else to replace thoughts of the partner.
Oh, one more girl and I'll be fine
Expressing the belief that one more person or drink will bring emotional relief.
One more drink to take you off my mind
Concluding the repetition of seeking solace through alcohol to forget the partner.
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