We Can No Longer Cheat You

Song Meaning

The narrator recounts a relationship with a "dancer" who seemed to fall for him, despite his own self-assessment as an "easy pick up for chancers." He admits to finding her claims of "behaving" amusing, suggesting a disconnect or disbelief in her sincerity. This initial amusement quickly shifts to a decision to leave, as he states, "I think I'll head off, in fact," and instructs his friends to "dig me in deep guys," signaling a definitive departure. The core tension arises from the narrator's perception of the dancer's motivations and his own inability to sustain the relationship, framed by the repeated, cryptic line, "We can no longer cheat you." This phrase suggests a shared deception or a situation where both parties are complicit in misleading someone else, possibly the dancer herself or an external party. The narrator's acknowledgment of "what you've been through" implies a complex history that he feels unable to navigate or resolve by staying. The lyrics employ a stark contrast between the narrator's dismissive attitude towards the dancer's past and his abrupt decision to leave. He notes her subsequent depression, attributing it to "boredom" and musing about how he "could have scored some things to pass the time" if she had communicated her needs. This reveals a transactional view of the relationship, where emotional connection is secondary to superficial engagement or "scoring." The repeated question, "What's that about?" underscores his bewilderment and detachment from any deeper emotional entanglement. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their unflinching portrayal of emotional detachment and self-absorption. The narrator's blunt honesty about his own character and his unceremonious exit, coupled with the ambiguous "cheat you" refrain, creates a disquieting portrait of a relationship ending not with a bang, but with a whimper of mutual, perhaps unconscious, deception and a desire to escape its consequences.