The Constant Lover

Song Meaning

The speaker in "The Constant Lover" immediately establishes a playfully fickle tone. They boast of having loved for "Three whole days together," a comically short duration. This fleeting affection is even conditional, promising "three more" days only "If it prove fair weather." It's a tongue-in-cheek declaration of commitment. There's a delightful irony at the core of these lyrics. The speaker grandly proclaims that "Time shall molt away his wings" before finding "Such a constant lover" again. This hyperbolic imagery of time's epic search directly clashes with the speaker's own admission of a mere six-day potential attachment, creating a central tension between declared constancy and demonstrated brevity. The craft truly shines in the twist that follows. The speaker admits "no praise / Is due at all to me," revealing that their brief "constancy" isn't a virtue but a consequence. The repetition of "Had it any been but she" underscores that this specific person, and "that very face," is the sole reason for their momentary devotion. It's a clever subversion of the traditional love poem. Ultimately, the lyrics are effective because of this self-aware, witty subversion. The speaker isn't a genuinely constant lover; they are merely less inconstant than usual, all thanks to one individual. The final lines, imagining "A dozen dozen in her place" otherwise, cement the speaker's usual promiscuity, making this brief, conditional attachment an ironically celebrated anomaly.