Song Meaning
The lyrics immediately plunge us into a moment of impending heartbreak, a familiar one for the narrator. "Oh it's crying time again" signals a recurring pattern of abandonment. The speaker observes the "faraway look" in their partner's eyes, recognizing the tell-tale signs of an imminent departure. There's a weary certainty to this impending sorrow.
A core tension emerges from the speaker's deep-seated love clashing with the partner's decision to leave. The lyrics directly challenge romantic platitudes like "absence makes the heart grow fonder." The narrator asserts their love "could never grow no stronger," dismissing the idea that separation could somehow deepen an already absolute affection. This isn't a hopeful parting; it's a definitive, painful end.
The most striking element is the cyclical nature of the heartbreak. The phrase "crying time again" anchors the narrative, reinforced by the later admission, "That's the way it's happened every time before." This isn't a first-time sting; it's a pattern of repeated abandonment, lending a profound sense of resignation to the speaker's voice. The inevitability is sealed with the stark image, "as sure as the sun comes up tomorrow."
These lyrics resonate by capturing the raw, unvarnished pain of repeated heartbreak. The speaker's clear-eyed recognition of the signs, their dismissal of comforting clichés, and the fatalistic acceptance of "crying time" create a powerful sense of empathy. It's the quiet dignity in facing a familiar sorrow, rather than a dramatic outburst, that makes the emotional impact so profound.