Wondering...

[sarahmichelef]

So M and I have been having a debate. What exactly is the plot of The Barenaked Ladies' "The Old Apartment"?

Tell me what you think.

Comments

this is disjointed, as I didn't get much sleep

[redfishie.livejournal.com]

a literal translation-

Guy breaks into an old apartment where he and his gf used live. He turns on the current tenants tv and plays it it on the floor just for fun to annoy the neighbors downstairs. He notices a few minor things in the apartment that used to be his. ("I guess they still are. I want them back.") Starts ruminating on current his current living situation. The later refrain about broken memories faded memories, I don't want them back is probably about the time period or relationship with the gf (now ex?). He thinks about the time period, and wishes that he didn't. He doesn't want those memories, but can't get rid of them.

The connotation is that "they" (him and another person, possibly not the gf) bought another place and he now is quite happy...'cept why did he break into the apartment? why did he come back? compulsion? regret? tribute to a time period? melancholy?

I've also read it as they just left some stuff behind when they moved, and broke back in for just the heck of it.

not-so literal-
the apartment could be thought of as a space in the guys mind/ or he's imaging all this as he keeps thinking again and about the relationship (tv=slight revenge fantasy) and the things he left behind (things he owned and aspects of self, time spent), he doesn't want to think about the time period, but keeps coming back to it.