Elvis Costello - I'm Not Angry Meaning

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Album cover for I'm Not Angry album cover

I'm Not Angry Lyrics

You’re upstairs with the boyfriend
While I’m left her to listen
I hear you calling his name
I hear the stutter of ignition
I could hear you whispering
As I crept by your door
So, you found some other joker
Who would please you...

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anonymous
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May 13th 2024 !⃝
The title of this song is completely ironic. The songs about a young man who was the first one to have sex with the young woman but now he's been left as "just a friend."

In the first verse, he's in her house and hears her upstairs with her then boyfriend. He hears her saying his name and them beginning to get sexually together. He moves by her door so can hear them clearly. Then he hears her whispering which tells him that she knows he's there listening, and intentionally antagonizing him.

Then in the chorus every time he says he's not angry or he's not angry anymore he's actually furiously angry. Then he thinks about her having sex with other guys and what she's been doing. When he says that he doesn't care, he really does care. Then he antagonistically says that what her boyfriend's doing is the same thing he was the first to do.

Then in the second verse he envisions all the things she did the first time they had sex when she was a virgin. He then thinks about all the things he said and did to pump up her ego. But he always knew inside that it would end up this way.

The chorus repeats, reinforcing his anger.

Then the first verse and the chorus repeat, further showing how angry he is.

The song fades out.

This song was released 47 years ago, and I still love it to this day. And I'm still angry, too!

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