Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship on the verge of blossoming, repeatedly interrupted by sudden, destructive forces. The initial scene is one of potential connection, hinted at by "We were just about to figure it out," but this is immediately shattered by external chaos: "Then the rain came down / There was a hell of a sound and they blew it down." This sets a tone of external forces actively dismantling something fragile and nascent.
The core tension lies in the contrast between the intimate potential of "love, for me and you" and the overwhelming, almost insurmountable cost or destruction it incurs. The repeated, emphatic declaration "Expensive" acts as a stark, blunt conclusion to every attempt at connection. It suggests that the price of this love, whether emotional, material, or existential, is simply too high to bear.
The writing uses vivid, almost surreal imagery to convey these destructive forces. The second verse introduces a "20 feet tall" entity that "tried to kill us all," a monstrous obstacle that dwarfs the couple's efforts. The third verse shifts to a more socio-political critique, where "the wealthiest kings wanted better things" causing "the roof caved in." This suggests that societal structures and greed are as destructive to love as natural disasters or mythical beasts.
This lyrical approach is effective because it externalizes the conflict, making the relationship's failure feel like an inevitable consequence of overwhelming, impersonal forces rather than internal strife. The simple, repeated refrain of "Expensive" hammers home the central theme with a sense of weary finality, leaving the listener with the impression of love being a luxury too costly for this world.