Isn’t It a Pity?

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of sudden, almost surreal infatuation. The narrator experiences an immediate, unexpected "thrill" upon seeing someone new, framing this powerful connection as a "pity" that it didn't happen sooner. The repetition of "Isn't it a pity / We never met before?" underscores a feeling of missed opportunity, as if a perfect pairing has been delayed by fate. The central tension lies in the contrast between the ecstatic present and the imagined, wasted past. The narrator conjures vivid images of lonely, unproductive years – "silly labors," "nights were sour," "fishing for salmon," "losing at backgammon." These specific, slightly quirky details highlight the perceived emptiness of life before this encounter, amplifying the joy of the present moment by contrasting it with a deliberately exaggerated, melancholic past. The craft here hinges on the almost childlike earnestness of the narrator's perspective. The simple, declarative statements like "I'm for you / And you're for me" and the repeated, almost pleading refrain create an immediate emotional resonance. The shift from philosophical musings (Schopenhauer) to mundane activities (backgammon, fishing) in the bridge suggests a desire to fill any void, however intellectual or trivial, that existed before this person arrived. Ultimately, the effectiveness comes from its unvarnished expression of finding a perfect fit. The lyrics capture that dizzying feeling when a new connection feels preordained, making the past seem like a series of unfortunate, avoidable errors. The final lines, doubling down on the "pity" and calling it "awful," cement the idea that this meeting is not just fortunate, but a profound correction of prior cosmic oversight.