Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a fragmented portrait of a relationship, beginning with a snapshot at nineteen in Charleston. The narrator recalls a figure described with a mix of inflated ego ("he said he was a genius") and mundane reality ("B-plus average / In civil engineering"). This person’s background is hinted at through their "Catholic" upbringing and "political leanings," juxtaposed with a peculiar "talent for stealin' things." The scene feels charged with a youthful, perhaps reckless, energy, underscored by the mention of "mescaline."
The narrative shifts to a later point, around thirty, where the dynamic seems to have evolved. The initial impression of the other person as a "genius" is reframed; the narrator suggests they were "only pickin' around" in more serious matters like "politics" and "underground newspapers." There’s a sense of disillusionment or a dawning realization that this person was perhaps less substantial than initially perceived. The line "Learnin' on me" implies a parasitic or exploitative dynamic, while "Turnin' out lights / So you don't have to see" suggests a deliberate obfuscation or avoidance of truth, possibly by the other person, or perhaps a shared method of coping.
The bridge offers a striking contrast and a moment of keen observation. The "boys keep score on the back of the bathroom door" evokes a raw, unvarnished environment, perhaps a bar or a shared living space, where trivial competitions are meticulously tracked. The narrator’s observation that "I don't think he'd ever been there before" highlights a perceived disconnect between the other person and this gritty reality. It suggests the figure, despite their claims or the narrator's initial perception, might be out of touch or unaccustomed to such unrefined experiences, creating a subtle tension between perceived sophistication and actual grounding.
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