What is too close by alex clare about

On writing songs: "My songs usually just come to me when I'm doing something inactive, like lying in bed or on the couch. Then they just pop into my head. I start with a hook on the guitar, and then the lyrics come next.

For me, the actual song is written in 20 minutes. Here we talk to him about music and other interesting fun facts with our Glamour Obsessed Questionnaire :. The album I'm listening to non-stop is : I like classic albums. Stevie Wonder's Innervisions is always on repeat.

Rudimental , a band I'm working with right now. They are a big more dance-y than me, but similar. My favorite albums of all time are : My dad had an amazing record collection when I was growing up. He was born in , so he was 20 in , which was an amazing time for jazz, bebop, even big band stuff. I still smile when I hear that album. The item in my closet I'm obsessed with is : My guitar, it goes everywhere with me.

My guitar is named Sylvia after my grandmother. However, I agree with your post on his sentiment, that it's a very superficial and dysfunctional view of love, for love is a very transcendental quality. Especially, if you started out as friends, it takes people years to hit them that they are in love with their mates, and a lot of trials and tests of life.

Know someone like that who loves the lyrics hmm :. This song speaks to me in a personal way, and I interpret it the way things are going in my life. I recently moved from Chicago to California to pursue a dream that I have wanted for a couple of years.

My then boyfriend was not too thrilled about the situation, but I was 'too close' to my dream to love him. I believe the artist has 'something that he needs to release', like a goal or passion and his life is heading in a 'separate way' then that of his girlfriend.

He 'can't lie no more' or 'hide no more' about what is in his heart. He may have been pursuing his music career and had to leave somebody behind in order for his dream to blossom. Story of my life right now SN: I bumped this song all through the road trip to Cali :. Sometimes people know eachother too well. They become more like family than lovers. A sense of passion and romance leaves. Some people need that feeling in their lives. They still love the other person but not romatically and they want to be truthful to themselves and the other person about it.

Too close to love you. Well, I'm german so 1. I don't no if I understood it right and 2. My English is not so good! I think he speaks to his best friend and he doesn't know if he's in love with her or not and she is? I interpret this song being that he had a best friend of opposite gender and that girl liked him, but he was too close to her to actually love her that way.

He still wanted to be friends but his friend had only started to love him, and he needed a break from her. I listened to this song when it was first on the commercial I took it from prospective, and my out look. The artist of this song made this song open ended for all. Here I go, I took it as a man whom knew he tried for so long. So long to fulfill his desire, he had her once, maybe even twice. She in the end would never see him eye to eye or believe he in deed was able to make up for his mistakes.

But the man continues to bend and break at every last text or call, or invitation to that woman. I know it sounds like BS. I continue The man throws nasty after nasty messages in a drunk way to the lady. This continues for months because he can't stand the fact that she won't understand his love and regret. His love if you will. But she somehow always answers the next morning They try to make love at one point. But it doesn't seem to work for either of them.

He tries to just give her what he thinks she wants. But all the time she wanted to be taken care of and feel like she was special, even if it had been months and they agreed on just a good lay.

He is so exhaustedly confused and distraught It is too far gone now To be short But still She finally gave way by offering a "consideration".

He asked her out to coffee or lunch. She replied not to push or rush. And to let her have her time. And that she would consider it. Now go listen to the song and realize that it applies to everyone and anyone whom is in a relationship with anyone whom is troubled. The woman in this story was troubled. But the man chasing in the end realized what he had to do. Don't wait and be the back burner As I said in my comment in the music video truth and fake are fighting.

Look at the comment below. I think that he got too close to a girl and couldn't continue doing stuff with her as a lover. The girl probably still loves him, but he doesn't love her anymore and realizes that there is no way they can be together because they are living such different lives.

The music video shows him battling and that battle is probably truth and fake. Truth obviously won because he in the song it shows how he leaves the girl. This song reminds me of when a boy and a girl get too close after doing stuff together and the boy losses interest because he now sees the girl in a different way.

The guy could also be going off the college when the girl is still in high school which shows the different ways part. I had this lover We worked together. We got too close I gave him my all He was confused, couldn't function, didn't know what to do, couldn't sleep at night Or do the right thing and leave his wife and be with someone he was falling in love with.

What do you consider right or wrong He told me it is for the best The best for his kids to stay. He left our job But he was a wonderful guy and I give him all respect on keeping his family together. Sometimes we leave cause we feel we get too close And that could be scary. You should be ashamed of yourself You knew he was married. Why is it so hard for females to get their own men and leave other's alone!?

I do not feel bad for you, I feel bad for his wife. SMH I can't stand homewreckers! I'm a gay man and I see how it can be interpreted as that but he is a straight man with straight needs. Or at least that's how I envisioned him so, I just wanted to say I completely agree with Nicole on May 4th. Given the intensity of the song, it's a relationship that is too intense. They're passionate and volatile, and he is lost in the turmoil. As good as it is, that soothing feeling from love isn't there and he is about to crash and burn.

Just my 2 cents. After having read a lot of your interpretations, I think that there is a lot of substance in all of them. Still I want to share my opinion: I think the core of the song is "I love you, but I can't be with you".

It doesn't matter if he is gay, in love with someone else or anything. The import thing is, that it doesn't feel right. Probably all of you have felt this way before: You really, really "like" someone and you wish you could love him, but you have to realize that it is not possible.

He is really close to loving her, but he just isn't in love That is the reason why he has to be true to himself.

Personally, I think it is on of the toughest choices in life, to leave the convinience of someone you "like" and make bothe of you unhappy, just to be happy some time in the future This song hits too close to home for me. Reading these interpretations and listening to the song has upset me. With love, pain runs all too deep. The singer is expressing his frustrations about feeling like a jerk for involving his best friend into the oh so complicated land of emotions and love.

He isnt ready for it yet I know because ive been trying to convince myself these same things, but its extremely painful down to your very soul when you love someone and want to be with them so much and they feel it from you but they cant and wont. Im glad he's made his little song about his frustrations, but trust me, his journey is a walk in the park compared to the one on the other end.

Nice beat to it but too painful for me to listen to. Hes just not at that place in his life right now and love is about being open to committing to a life together through thick and thin. Its work and some guys sorry.. Sad, but true and honest.. Music is a wonderfull way of expression is how I'll wrap up this rant. As Florence would say I honesty think this song is about a boy having commitment issues.

He was feeling her and loves her BUT can't commit. He got too close and realized that he wasn't on her same level. Danm boys and their commitment issues. I think all the mentioned views are wrong. Some believe this song has something to do with 'modern' relationships, and he is callously dated and dumped her. From this view point, sex—love is short lived, and couples have expiry dates. However, this view does not fit the story, since he is a trust worthy guy.

How do we know that? Its the first thing he states in the song Hey, I think we can trust it. The problem was that the character did not mean for this relationship to ever occur. Yet, he felt obligated since they were best friends, and hope that they can remain that still. What he should of done was not lead it anywhere, and back off.

Realizing honesty to be the simplest conclusion to his dilemma, he decides to be 'true to [himself],' and go 'on [his] way. For neither is true, as indicated in the song by there 'closeness.

Closeness does not refer to physical proximity, but to love, or I suppose caring, for those who consider love to be sex. So while he cares for her, he does not care for her with the part of himself below the waste. Ah, the main conflict. But why is this an issue? Well, its not because she is possessive or too nice, as such details are never mentioned.

However, what can be assumed is meta knowledge that she wants to fuck him. Which is also indicated in the line, 'you're givin' me more than I can return. Now, why is this still a conflict? After all, he could just give in and have sex with her to continue the relationship. Well, did you see the music video? It demonstrates the character view of sex as a ritualized, physical insertion. Nothing more. So rather then 'lie' about and 'hide' his lack of physical desire, because he is 'too close,' he leaves.

My perception is that he was wronged in whatever capacity and although he forgave, he can't continue to pretend everything is complete, as it once was.

Nothing left to say or do or give that would be positive, so he leaves it lying on the floor like a child would spilled milk. I think that this song is about a couple who were best friends and tried out a more than friends relationship but the guy is realizing that it isn't for him. He will always love her because he is so close to her as a best friend and he sees that she deserves so much but from someone other than him. I can say personally that so many of you are right. I just got out of a relationship with a man that had been a very close friend for years.

He literally sang this song around me the last couple weeks several times, would play it loud on his stereo immediately following our usual drama induced mostly by him. With this being said, he said he loved me, I deserved more than he could give. He frequently said that he is afraid to let me go cause he feels something but doesn't feel it's fair to me cause he can't give me what I deserve.

He said he knew he was lucky to have me but confused. I think he was too. Lose to be in love with me but didn't wanna lose our closeness of the friendship. I don't find it ironic that he started passionately singing this song around me. It hurts to hear it but, I do deserve more, and he should be true to himself and to her. He doesn't know if it's right or wrong but has to let her go to be able to be him. He loves her enough to let her go and find a man that loves her whole.

I think hes saying that he doesn't love her in the same way that she loves him and has accepted that he never will. She is suffocating him and holding on too tight. He was lying to himself by telling himself he could learn to love her. She knows he doesn't love her and feels him pulling away so she tries to hold on, but just ends up suffocating him.

Thats why hes too close and can't breathe. My interpretation. Well hell I'm super bummed the guy I "talk" to posted I'm just too close to love you He is too close to love her basically he is getting too close to falling in live with her he must be in his way!!!

Commitment issues. He needs room to breathe. Room to himself he is scared and knows he can't commit and gives he what she deserves because of his phobia duh!! Firstly, love this song. For me this song kinda describes recent events in my life. This song says this sort of thing to me. The song is about a married man in love with a girl that's not attached. She would give him everything but he cant do the same for her.

He is attached with a wife and babies which she deserves and wants for herself but he can not provide this for her without destroying many lives including his babies. No more lies. If the only person that is hurt is him than he is a hero for saving all including her because she finds her a new life for herself. Sad, very sad for him. I take it as him saying that being "to close to love" means that he is friend-zoning the girl.

He knows that she loves him but he believes that he can't return those feeling. The second verse and chorus lay this idea out fairly clearly, at least in my perspective. This song is the story of my damn life I love all the interpretations but I do believe its about a guy leaving a girl who is just a friend because she is in love with him.

But he doesnt feel the same way. So he cuts off all ties with her so he doesnt hurt her more because for him the attraction isnt there. Everything else is The whole "Which way is right I feel like this song isn't in fact about a man falling out of love, but almost the complete opposite.

From the lyrics in the song, it sounds almost as if he is falling in love with his best friend. Everybody can agree that when you fall in love with your best friend, you often don't want to admit it in fear that it could make things awkward if the other person doesn't feel the same way. Almost as if he realizes he is "friendzoned". This is a song about being gay. Ok my interpretation of the song too close to love you.. Is just that!!! He feels like he is too close to love her, meaning he is scared he feels liket running away, I believe it has nothing to do with there relationship!!

I believe its something inside of him telling him to go!! He can't lie no more cause the closer he gets to loving her the more he has to go!! The part that states we r headed separate ways however confuses me!!

Maybe shes more capable of expressing her love for him without feeling she has to hide, in terms of feeling scared, doubts, uncertainty, the inability to breath..

I feel he can't or isnt ready to love, due to whatever reason!! The song specifically says he has something to release idk I for one would love to hear the true meaning from the man himself!!

Anyone know what site i can find It : In conclusion great song!! I'm a fan of Alex Clare for life!! We are headed separate ways could mean literally He promised her that he would alway be there for her, but the more he falls in love with her he feels that he may hurt because he is still battling something within hisself and he has to leave, but at the same time he knows that leaving her will hurt her.

So he's caught at a crossroads of whether to do what is best for him by leaving which will end up hurting her or staying and hurting her and destroying everything even their friendship.

I fully agree. That's exactly what the song is about. He has internal issues he has to deal with first.

He is in love with her, but he is not capable of expressing it, as well as receibing it from her. They see the potential to be in a relationship with each other if there wasn't any obstacles but unfortunately they are there. My interpretation, my life story that literally just happened. He wants to end the relationship and feels like he is a close friend. He does not want to hurt her.

He has to be true to himself and leave I don't think it's about beeing friendzoned. I think it's about feeling overwhelmed by his partner. He means the promis to love and stay by each other for the rest of their lifes.

The promis you always give somehow getting in a relationship. Of cause leaving the other person means to hurt him or her and the feeling of not beeing able to breath is because he feels trapped. He needs more personal space, that the partner can offer. I don't know maybe he needs more time for a passion or wants to move somewhere else.

He is asking what is right and what is wrong, because leaving someone is not very honorable in our society. In the chorus he tells that he is to close to love her, not to close falling in love with her. The problem is that he doesn't feel free enough to be able to love her. And that's what he can't hide, hide behind lies, he told her to make the relationship work.

Finally he needs to be true to himself and leave her. In the following verse it's getting more obvious that it's about a realtionship and not about beeing friendzoned. When you're friendzoned you don't feel like "you've given me more than I can return", quite the reverse you feel like you can give the other person more than she wants. He has been with her for a very long time and loves her deeply, that is the reason he lost his lust for her something to release is his sexuality.