Girl Afraid

I think another interpretation of this song is that the mentioned girl is so preoccupied with fear over whether this boy likes her; her perceptions and interpretations of situations are so poignantly negative, that she is bringing about the feared rebuffing, as he perceives her fear as indifference towards him. Basically, it's a song about insecurity and muddled interpretations that, say, people with paranoia might experience.

"prudence never pays and everything she wants costs money"

i like the double meaning of "prudence" in this song.

its just an observation of the confusion that comes from relating to the opposite sex, I love the way that he doesn't pass judgement he doesn't say oh if only she knew that... or he knew... instead he just plainly states that sometimes it just doesn't work - ah I know the situtaion so well. good bit of music too, unerrated.

Someone will come on here soon and say its about a girl who is afraid she is gay because in every single smiths and morrissey song someone always says that

I thought this song related really well to the situation I was in recently until I finally decided to say something to the girl I imagined was 'afraid' of her feelings for me. Turns out she wasn't even vaguelly interested and fancys her boss. Thanks a lot morrissey. It's a bit like when I quit my job because of the lyrics to 'working for the clampdown' by the clash. Fat lot of good that ever did me...

Awesome song.

Also, a possible link from this song to another one, that I chanced upon -- there's an old song called Lily of Laguna, which features the line, 'I know she likes me, because she says so'. Is it possible that Morrissey was intentionally playing with this line when he wrote, 'But she doesn't even like me, and I know because she said so'?

I've never seen this mentioned before, and am interested to see what people think of it.

I just finished re-reading John Fowles' great early novel, The Collector, and I am convinced that this song is based on that novel. It is about a man who collects butterflies and when he wins a lottery, decides to buy a house in the country and "collect" a girl he's "in love with" (they made a film of it, too, which I believe Morrissey mentions in another song). The "collector" imprisons her in his basement ("in the room down there / she sat and stared") and claims to be in love with her. The novel explores both perspectives and we come to understand both of them on various psychological and social levels. The first part of the novel is told from his perspective and the second part is from the girl's perspective (girl afraid / boy afraid). It fits so well, and this song has to be one of the most succinct and insightful adaptation I've ever heard/read. He's summed the novel up in two stanzas and two verses while still remaining true to its essence. Brilliant!

One of The Smiths finest songs, lyrically and musically.

Think it's pretty obvious what it's about - a boy and a girl who obviously like each other but are too stubborn or shy to tell each other. They want the other to make the first move.

'Where do his intentions lay? Or does he even have any?' - she is thinking does the boy actually like her and is he going to do anything about it.

"He never really looks at me, I give him every opportunity" - she is trying to get his attention and make herself noticed but the boy just ignores her.

'And everything she wants costs money' - the boy is obviously worried that he isn't rich enough for her and he won't be able to give her everything she wants.

'But she doesn't even like me! And I know because she said so' - she has obviously denied her feelings for the boy and he believed her. Now he thinks that she doesn't like him.

'In the room downstairs he/she sat and stared' - they're in a room together but totally ignoring each other even though they both want each others attention. They're both waiting for the other to make the first move.

'I'll never make that mistake again!' - they'll never be together as they're both too stubborn to make the first move and they've both given up on each other.

Pretty simple song to interpret. A girl and a boy have feeling for each other but they think the other one doesn't like them. She wonders what his intentions are or if he even has any and he thinks she's a golddigger. But in essence they do like each other it is just they don't know it.

Can't say I can relate to this song that much. I've never had a problem in the "room downstairs" if ya catch my drift. Oh Yeah! Givem the old Hoo Ha and Hey! No seriously. I'm just being an ass. I can totally relate to the lyrics and the guitar is so good.