The mixture between,
The fantastic dream,
And the fear,
You wonder where she is,
This afternoon.
And does it get on your nerves,
Make you slightly perturbed,
That there’s things that you don’t know about her?
And even the places that she’s never been with yer,
seem awful empty without her.
You can’t look into those eyes,
Down no telephone line,
What if you were right first time? [x2]
The mixture between,
The fantastic dream,
And the fear,
You wonder where she is,
This afternoon.
You can’t look into those eyes,
Down no telephone line,
What if you were right first time?
Exploring Uncertainty and Longing
“What If You Were Right The First Time?” by Arctic Monkeys delves into the emotional turbulence of doubt and longing in a relationship. The lyrics paint a portrait of someone wrestling with the balance between hope and fear, haunted by the absence of a significant other. The recurring question, “What if you were right first time?”, captures the anxiety of second-guessing decisions and the pain of missing someone intensely. The imagery of empty places and the inability to connect, even over the phone, intensifies the sense of distance and emotional vulnerability.
The Complexity of Not Knowing
Throughout the song, the narrator confronts the discomfort of not fully understanding their partner. Details left unknown become sources of unease, suggesting how uncertainty can deeply affect intimacy. The song artfully expresses how memories and the mere thought of a loved one can transform everyday spaces, filling them with either warmth or emptiness depending on their presence.
Song Credits
Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Songwriters: Alex Turner
Release Year: 2006