Classics Or Duds: The Wedding Present

I don't really understand what the song is saying.

Maybe there is another voice, a woman's, that we don't hear, and it would be clearer if we did.

This, for instance, doesn't add up to me:

Can I keep that book of yours and maybe this one too?
Oh sure, I'll bring them round tomorrow if that will do
Was it really full? They must have queued there since half past three
Oh I didn't go, was it a good film? Well that's just me!
Don't give me that! Because you were seen!

How on earth did I never weigh in on this?

imo the narrator is a stalker who is obsessed with his female friend (or maybe they actually had a romantic relationship, but i think not). shaun saw her holding hands, with a guy the narrator insists everyone scorns, outside the movie theater. narrator is pissed and being passive aggressive about the books he'd borrowed from her; he wants them, and her, out of his life -- well, except for one or two, and also he won't actually give up his obsession with her either

The verses are awkward/bland conversations with his ex. The choruses are jealous outbursts about her new relationship.

I always thought it was quite amusing to hear him get shot down over keeping the books

Thanks for these comments.

The comment by poster everything is useful to me - so the verses and choruses are distinct, not really part of the same conversation, as they don't follow from the verses.

I still don't think I understand the books verse. Does it contain the words of one speaker and not the other? And what does 'Well that's just me' mean in 'Oh I didn't go, was it a good film? Well that's just me!' ?

I don't, on the whole, find this lyric clear at all, but I've appreciated people's responses here.

It's one side of a conversation, either in person or (as I sometimes imagine) on the phone. You get to hear what he's saying, but not her so you have to fill that in. Ultimately you get enough to make a judgement, is he a twat or is his whinging justified?

i always thought the implication of "everyone thinks he looks daft" was that this isn't true, but the object of jealousy is in some way trendier or less real than honest salt of the earth narrator.

it's essentially "Gordon is a Moron" played without laughs

I tend to read Wedding Present lyrics with a lot of self-mockery/irony which may or may not be intended, I'm not really sure sometimes, but it works for me

Gerald's post is quite helpful clarification to me.

Guess who I saw by your old house just the other day
That kid we used to think was mad, but now he looks okay

-- is this 'kid' meant to be the one who 'looks daft', or another person?

I think someone's here, look out the window, I can't make out who

-- does this go with the telephone theory?

Oh I'd love to stay but I've really got so many things to do

-- This seems not to go with the telephone idea - suggests that the speaker is at the place of the interlocutor, which we are saying is the ex-gf.

The choruses don't seem to follow directly from the verses, unless each time, the ex-gf says something, after each verse, which logically prompts 'don't give me that' by implying that she is not dating the other person.

too much apple pie

oh that was just embarrassing, at times I say the most stupid things

lol

relatable