Payphone by Maroon 5

This is the new song from Maroon 5. In this analysis, I will be analyzing the song lyrics.

The video, I find, doesn't do the song justice.  It is,however, visually entertaining, which I suppose was the point.

'Payphone' song, in its entirety, is about a breakup. It's hard to tell because the title is 'payphone.'

I kept hearing this song and I was wondering, what the hell is this song about? The song lyrics tell a story, a tale. Due to my personal circumstances (going through a breakup), I have a personal understanding of what he is talking about. 

So here it is: Payphone is a break up song, Yeah I said it. I didnt believe it the first 5 times I heard it either (read on.)

Let's look at verse 1:

Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember,

the people we used to be...

it's even harder to picture, 

that you're not here next to me. 

You say it's too late to make it,

but is it too late to try?

And in our time that you wasted

All of our bridges burned down

This covers a couple of things. First, this is a somewhat long relationship. At least 2 years I would guess. Or long enough to be serious. The artist is speaking of how the persons in the relationship have changed and grown in the course of the relationship. He refers to 'the people we used to be.' When the lyrics state 'too late to make it.' Making it would be to get married, to go all the way together. The girl says it's too late, as in she doesn't have hope. but the guy wants to hold on to her and the relationship (is it too late to try?).

In our time that you wasted speaks of the regret when a relationship ends, the time that was spent on it. Because it didn't produce a harvest, no fruit for the effort.. it feels like a waste.  Me personally I don't think its a waste. There is always a lesson, isn't there?

Next verse:

I've wasted my nights, you turned out the lights. Now I'm paralyzed.
 Still stuck in that time, when we called it love. But even the sun sets in paradise.

This one goes from regret to scorn, to acceptance. He feels like his nights have been wasted (all the time he spent on her). She had full control, turning off the lights. Now he is in the dark, thinking of her but not having her next to him to hold on to. He's 'paralyzed' because he has not moved on. His life is in a standstill, every moment bringing back a memory from the past, when he was with her. He is reliving his memories, and therefore,

not focusing on making new ones. 'But even the sun sets in paradise,' this line speaks of how all good things come to the end. He spoke of the night time (when they used to be together) and his paralysis (which time feels like it has stopped for him). However, the sun comes up, meaning those nights have come to the end (when the sun sets, it is now morning time). He is holding on to the past, and he sees it as a 'paradise' and his current life (reality) not as sweet.

Poor guy. Now on to the chorus:

I'm at a payphone, trying to call home. All of my change was spent on you. Where have the times gone? Baby it's all wrong Where are the plans we made for two?

If "Happy ever afters" did exist, I would still holding you like this. All those fairy tales are full of shit. One more stupid love song, I'll be sick. 

The chorus is what gave away the meaning of the song, because I relate. So when the relationship is over, one gives up on love (happy every afters). The thing is, even though they broke up, they are still in love. This is ironic because one thinks love conquers all. It's harder to let go when love is still there. And it takes maturity to let go of something, even though love is there.. but one realizes that maybe love is not enough. Maybe the issues are too much. Maybe being apart is best.  

Now on to the payphone reference. This is where it's deep. He's in a payphone. Pause. Who uses a payphonne anymore? The only time people use payphones is when they are in a jam, nothing else. He has no cell phone to use, in the video his car crashed behind him (another reference on him not being able to get home). He might even have lost his job, running out like that. He has nothing. He is spent. This is reflective of how he feels after the relationship, like he has given everything and he has nothing left. He only has the clothes in his back, and well, himself. The self that he has left.

'All of my change I spent on you.' This reflects his bitterness again. He gave the girl all he had, now he doesn't have enough 'change' to get home. Home, in this case, is a place of comfort and rest as we all know. Specific to the song and situation, after he has spent all he had in the relationship, he is trying to get back to the person he used to be (before meeting the girl). He is trying to get to a happy place. A space where he not longer will be 'paralyzed' with old memories. A space where he is himself, a space where he can exist in a world without her. At least he has hope, however he doesn't feel hopeful he will get there as he has no 'change.' 

 Last verse:

Oh, you turned your back on tomorrow. 'Cause you forgot yesterday. I gave you my love to borrow, but you just gave it away. You can't expect me to be fine, I don't expect you to care. I know I've said it before, but all of our bridges burned down. 

This last part speaks specifically of the girl. She apparently is 'fine' while he is not. This causes some added bitterness to his plate. He gave her 'my love to borrow', he feels that she gave it away. Maybe she gave it back to him, like she didn't need it anymore. 'All of our bridges burned down', this part refers again to the hopelessness of the situation. The issues became to much. Bridges connect two different bodies of land separated by water. Artistically speaking, the two persons are the separate land. The bridge represents their connection. Their connection is lost, since the bridge has been burned. Now they are back to being 'single', to being 'one.' He is sad and bitter, but that's the way love goes sometimes.

There is the whole idea of the fairy tales, and love songs. He believed in love, and it let him down. He is sick of love at this time. Now he's just trying to get home (happy place), however he has no way to get there. He gave the girl all the change ('all of my change I spent on you').  Change in this song is interchangeable with love. He can't get home unless someone walks by and gives him change (love). Someone needs to give him love so that he can get home one day (the happy place). For now, he is stuck, 'paralyzed', living in the past and not being able to let go. The last line reflects his original broken, hopeless state: 'Now I'm at a payphone.'

This is just my analysis. You don't have to agree. Looking at it a little deep. This is, THE CRITIC.