Either Way (Live)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship fractured by a partner's perceived cruelty, a trait the narrator desperately wishes to avoid. There's a plea for a gentler side, a hope that the kindness shown was genuine, but the narrator seems resigned to a pattern of harshness. The repeated phrase "You were almost kind, you were almost true" highlights this painful ambiguity, suggesting a potential for goodness that is consistently undermined. It's a dynamic where the narrator feels they must endure this behavior, waiting for a better version that may never arrive. The central tension lies in the narrator's struggle to reconcile the glimpses of kindness with the overwhelming evidence of cruelty. The lyrics suggest a learned behavior, a belief that "you must be cruel" or that "it's either him or you," implying a survivalist mentality adopted by the other person. This creates a deeply frustrating situation for the narrator, who feels their partner's words and actions are "poisoning everything," yet is still caught in a cycle of hoping for change. The most striking craft element is the persistent, almost obsessive repetition of key phrases, particularly "You were almost kind, you were almost true" and the chorus's "Either way." This repetition mirrors the cyclical nature of the relationship and the narrator's own internal debate. The question "Wonder what difference does it make" underscores a sense of futility, as if no matter the approach or outcome, the negative pattern will persist, leaving the narrator feeling powerless. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their raw portrayal of emotional exhaustion and disillusionment. The narrator isn't just sad; they're actively grappling with a partner whose actions contradict their potential. The ambiguity of "almost" and the stark finality of "Either way" capture the painful reality of loving someone whose worst self seems to be their default, leaving the narrator in a state of perpetual, weary anticipation.