What Am I Doing?

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man consumed by an intense, almost obsessive love. Initially, the narrator recounts a night of passion with an "incredible woman," only for her to abruptly withdraw, stating "I can't see her." This rejection triggers a desperate, almost deranged response: he climbs a tree and then a roof to be near her as she sleeps, enduring the rain and questioning his own sanity. The central tension lies in the narrator's struggle to reconcile his profound feelings with the irrationality of his actions. He grapples with the question, "What am I doin' out of my mind with love?" This isn't just a rhetorical question; it's a genuine bewilderment at the extreme measures his emotions compel him to take. The inclusion of his father and "my father" shouting "What is he doing up on a roof?" externalizes this judgment, highlighting the social unacceptability of his behavior. The most striking aspect of the craft is the shift in the narrator's perspective and the escalating nature of his obsessions. After a brief period of attempting to rejoin "sensible men," he admits he "won't ever go crazy again." Yet, the final verses reveal a relapse into even more disturbing behaviors: tailing her car, sniffing her perfume, sifting her trash, and even petting her dog. This descent into stalking, framed by the same self-questioning refrain, underscores the destructive power of his unchecked infatuation. Ultimately, these lyrics are effective because they capture the disorienting and all-consuming nature of love when it crosses the line into obsession. The narrator's repeated, increasingly frantic questions, coupled with the graphic descriptions of his intrusive actions, create a potent sense of unease and a stark portrayal of a man losing himself entirely to his feelings. The contrast between his initial desire for connection and his final, desperate acts of surveillance leaves the listener with a chilling understanding of how love can warp perception and drive behavior.