Love These Days

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a bleak picture of modern romance, questioning the very definition of love. The narrator finds it "strange" and "fucked up and fake" to label certain behaviors as love. This isn't a celebration of affection; it's a dissection of relationships that seem to thrive on manufactured drama and emotional manipulation. The core sentiment is that people are chasing intensity, mistaking pain for passion. The central tension lies in the paradoxical pursuit of connection through conflict. The narrator observes a dynamic where arguments are initiated "to feel something," highlighting a desperate need for emotional engagement, even if it's negative. This is underscored by the repeated idea of "holding onto nothing," suggesting a relationship devoid of genuine substance that relies on manufactured highs and lows to sustain itself. The phrase "getting high on heartbreak" perfectly encapsulates this unhealthy reliance on negative emotions. The most striking craft element is the stark contrast presented in the post-chorus. After detailing the toxic nature of their relationship, the narrator declares, "Today is the greatest that I've ever known," immediately after admitting, "I know that I'm broken and tired alone." This jarring juxtaposition reveals a deep internal conflict and a potential delusion or coping mechanism. It suggests that the narrator might be convincing themselves that this chaotic, painful dynamic is actually fulfilling, even while acknowledging their own weariness and isolation. This lyrical approach is effective because it grounds abstract feelings in specific, relatable (though painful) observations. The repetition of "what we call love these days" acts as a refrain, hammering home the central critique. The raw, almost cynical language like "fucked up and fake" and "hooked on to the pain" creates an immediate, visceral reaction, forcing the listener to confront the uncomfortable realities of modern dating that the song articulates so pointedly.