Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a stark picture of a relationship that has been irrevocably damaged by the very act of living together. The narrator directly states that "cohabitation divided us," and that it caused "damage" and "harm." This isn't a sudden breakup, but a slow erosion, where the shared flame of passion was extinguished and love was "demolished." The repeated assertion that "whatever we say now, it's too late" underscores a sense of finality and resignation.
The central tension lies in the painful paradox of physical separation mirroring emotional distance, even while intense feelings persist. The chorus powerfully articulates this: "Separately we walk, separately we cry," "Separately we sleep, separately we kiss." This isn't a clean break; they still engage in intimate acts, yet it's done in isolation. The devastating line, "And even though we die for each other," highlights the tragic chasm between their enduring affection and their inability to bridge the gap created by their shared life.
The lyrics effectively use repetition and stark contrasts to convey this emotional wreckage. The repeated phrase "cohabitation divided us" acts as a grim refrain, hammering home the cause of their downfall. The contrast between the physical closeness implied by "separately we kiss" and the profound emotional alienation is what makes the chorus so poignant. It's the crushing weight of routine and obligation – the "musts and don'ts" – that the narrator identifies as the true killers of their love, leaving it "dead."