Love Is Infectious

Song Meaning

The lyrics immediately establish a transactional, almost cold view of intimacy. A woman's "patience for the bedroom" appears to be a calculated act, designed to fulfill a temporary need. The narrator's detached observation sets a cynical tone from the outset. This calculated approach extends beyond the physical, suggesting a deeper emotional detachment. The woman is depicted as carrying "love in a carrier bag," reducing affection to something easily acquired and disposable. This commodification of emotion is further underscored by references to "illegitimate contributions" and "neurotic fantasies," implying a relationship built on unhealthy, manufactured interactions rather than genuine connection. The central tension crystallizes in the chorus, where the declaration "Love is infectious" is immediately met with the narrator's skeptical retort, "I don't know about that." This direct contradiction challenges the very notion of love as something desirable or even real. Instead, intimacy is portrayed as "guerrilla warfare in her bed" and "simulating sex," highlighting conflict and imitation over authentic passion. The lyrics are effective in their unflinching portrayal of disillusionment. By stripping away romantic ideals and focusing on performance and detachment, the writing creates a stark, unromanticized portrait of modern relationships. It powerfully conveys a sense of hollow connection, where "no personality's essential" and "love's incompatible commands" lead only to manufactured heartache.