Age of Consent (Live at the Spectrum Arena, 1986)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of someone grappling with unspoken feelings and a perceived betrayal. The opening lines, "Won't you please let me be? / These words lie inside, they hurt me so," immediately establish a sense of internal turmoil and suppressed emotion. The narrator feels burdened by something they can't express, suggesting a significant emotional weight. The central tension arises from a communication breakdown and its aftermath. The narrator acknowledges receiving a message, "I received your message in full a few days ago," and claims to have understood it. However, this understanding leads to a defiant declaration: "You're going to regret." This implies a shift from passive hurt to active resentment, fueled by the perceived slight or miscommunication. The repeated chorus, "And I'm not the kind that need to tell you / Just what you want me to," is particularly striking. It suggests a refusal to conform to expectations or to placate the other person. This isn't about asserting what *they* want, but about rejecting the idea that they should be dictated to. The phrase "Crucial point one day becomes a crime" in the third verse hints at how a past decision or action, once seemingly minor, has now escalated into a significant transgression. Ultimately, the raw, repetitive refrain of "Lost you, I've lost you" hammers home the devastating consequence of this conflict. The lyrical structure, moving from internal pain to external accusation and finally to a profound sense of loss, effectively conveys the emotional arc of a relationship fractured by miscommunication and regret.