Lyric Focus: "Man Out Of Time"

Pretty self-explanatory
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wehitandrun
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Lyric Focus: "Man Out Of Time"

Post by wehitandrun »

... mainly, the chorus. I've read in the liner notes that he sang it to his own reflection one day, and *poof*.

But...

"To murder my love is a crime... but, will you still love a man out of time?"

What does it mean to you? It baffles me, ("complete gibberish" to quote Jackson on another topic).

The "my love" in the first half could be a person, could be the love he is trying to give, or could be his favorite television show that is being canceled.

I'm guessing he's the "man out of time"- so I have that much.


Any thoughts?
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Watching_Detectives
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Post by Watching_Detectives »

I always thought "my love" is the love he is trying to give...but thinking about it, I really have to idea.
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spooky girlfriend
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Post by spooky girlfriend »

I had always thought that this song was sort of in reference to an unfaithful lover and that "to murder my love is a crime, will you still love a man out of time" basically meant it would be terrible to get rid of the love he's feeling, and that somehow the love itself (although perhaps adulterous) is not really wrong, but that's it's happening after other committments have been made in his life - so the timing of the love/affair seems all wrong.

But I don't truly know HIS feelings on the lyrics. This is one of the first songs I fell in love with when I had my Elvis epiphany and I studied the lyrics over and over. Those are just some feelings I've had about those particular lines.
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VonOfterdingen
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Post by VonOfterdingen »

hey ,

I think Watching_Detectives got it right. Never thought of it that way, felt like wehitandrun.

thanks :D
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ReadyToHearTheWorst
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Post by ReadyToHearTheWorst »

This song makes me think of politicians in sex scandals (e.g 'the Profumo affair', or the film Personal Services).

Perhaps the 'man out of time' is a public figure who's dealings with a prostitute, mistress (whatever) are about to be exposed.

But I'm no doubt way off
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Post by mood swung »

well, we can be way off together, ReadyTo, cos that's what I think too. out of time, out of history.
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wehitandrun
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Post by wehitandrun »

I always thought that "my love" was the love he was trying to give as well. But, if that love is murdered... why would they love the man out of time?
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Post by Jackson Monk »

I think this refers to an MI6 secret agent called 'Marmaduke Mylove' who was caught playing both sides in 1954. He was latter found hanging from the bridge at Putney. There was a big enquiry and it was discovered that he'd been murdered by another MI6 agent called Sebastian Sidebottom. To make matters worse, Sidebottom had moved in with his lover, Eleanor Caldicotte, and set up a computer business called 'Time'. He was sacked from the board as soon as the scandal broke.

Sidebottom claimed that he had legitimately killed Mylove in the interests of national security. However, it was later decided that he should stand trial for murder. murdering Mylove was indeed a crime and he was hanged. Before his exectution he wrote to Caldicotte professing his undying love and pleaded with her "will you still love a man out of Time" referring to his recent dismissal.

I can't understand why nobody else knew this. Call yourselves fans!!
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Post by laughingcrow »

I think that 'To murder my love' is directed at someone...not 'murder my love', but 'murder, my love' if that makes sense...

I see the 'love' in question as the wife of an important man ('high heel he used to be' , 'tupenny ha'penny millionaire' 'biggest wheels of industry' - his ex-company) whom she has kicked out ('this is where he came to hide, when he ran from you'), possibly for having an affair ('traitor's gate') into the sordid underworld of torrid Tory MP-style affairs.

Whether 'murder' is literally that, or just kicking him out I don't know...but she 'drinks herself insensitive' during the song and hates herself in the morning.
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Post by wehitandrun »

I like that interpreation, laughingcrow.
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Post by crash8_durham »

That is what I love about lyrics in 80's music. The way the "ALMOST" make since.

Take this line from and ABC song. "If you judge a book by the cover, then you judge the look by the lover"

It rhymes, it is catchy and it damn near made since.

You could spend a week trying to understand some U2 songs.
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Post by seanpointblank »

Yeah, I've always heard it as "to murder, my love, is a crime" rather than "to murder my love is a crime", not sure why I just can't think of it any other way, though.
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