The Open University

Song Meaning

The lyrics present a narrator whose heart is "breaking" over a partner's sudden intellectual transformation. She's decided "lately to get smart," trading their old life for books and academic pursuits. This shift, driven by her being "tired of working in a factory," has created a palpable distance between them. The central tension here lies in the stark contrast between their past and present. The narrator fondly recalls how "We used to have a lot of fun," spending money and going out. Now, however, her time is consumed by "reading Lawrence and T. H. Huxley," leaving him feeling sidelined by her new intellectual world. A key craft element is the narrator's subtly sarcastic and resentful tone, which colors his observations. He notes she "never cared for school - such a drag" but is now "qualification mad," even "corresponding like a politician." This framing suggests he views her self-improvement not as growth, but as an inconvenient, perhaps even pretentious, change that disrupts their shared life. These lyrics effectively capture the uncomfortable reality of evolving relationships, where one person's pursuit of personal growth can feel like a personal slight or abandonment to another. The specific details, from her factory job to her literary choices, ground this emotional conflict in a vivid, relatable scenario, culminating in the narrator's exasperated, ironic plea: "God help the Open University."