How to Handle a Woman

Song Meaning

Arthur is wrestling with a seemingly impossible question: how to properly interact with a woman. He approaches an older, wiser figure, desperate for a definitive method, listing out various tactics like flattery, threats, cajoling, pleading, brooding, or playing the romancer. The older man dismisses all these complex strategies with a simple, knowing smile. The core tension lies in Arthur's expectation of a complicated, perhaps manipulative, 'trick' to managing a woman, contrasted with the profound simplicity of the advice given. He's seeking a formula, a set of rules, but the answer is presented as something innate and universally understood by women themselves, yet elusive to men like him. The most striking aspect of the lyrics is the repetition and the stark contrast between Arthur's frantic questioning and the elder's singular, unwavering answer. The elder's repeated "love her, simply love her" acts as a mantra, cutting through Arthur's confusion. The phrase "the whole rigmarole" suggests Arthur sees dealing with women as an unnecessarily complicated, perhaps tedious, process. This exchange is effective because it highlights a common human struggle: the desire for control and understanding in relationships, met with a truth that is both obvious and difficult to truly grasp. The lyrics suggest that the 'handling' Arthur seeks is a misdirection; the true path is one of genuine affection, a concept that seems almost too simple for his troubled mind.