Meaning and Lyrics of Affection by Cigarettes After Sex

If you’ve yet to wrap your ears around “Affection” by Cigarettes After Sex, let me set the scene for you. This track, much like the rest of the band’s discography, is an atmospheric exploration of love, desire, and the hazy boundaries between the two. The minimalist, dream-pop instrumentation serves as a perfect canvas for the emotionally charged lyrics that Greg Gonzalez breathes into existence.

Verse 1 opens with the candid confession, “I know that you say I get mean when I’m drinking, but then again, sometimes I get really sweet so.” Right from the get-go, we’re thrust into a relationship dynamic that’s both raw and relatable: the unpredictable pendulum swing of emotions fueled by alcohol. Gonzalez then flips from self-awareness to aggression with, “What does it mean if I tell you to go f**k yourself?” before pulling back into vulnerability by concluding, “Or if I say that you’re beautiful to me?” It’s an exercise in dichotomy – this see-saw battle between cruelty and tenderness encapsulates the complexities of human affection.

When we hit the Chorus, it’s not your typical declaration of love. “It’s affection, always,” Gonzalez croons, suggesting a kind of eternal, albeit imperfect, devotion. This line embodies the essence of Cigarettes After Sex: unfiltered, unwavering, and unorthodox affection. And yet, “Even if it’s not what you need,” he admits, acknowledging that his type of affection might not align with the recipient’s needs. This is where Cigarettes After Sex distinguishes itself from the more saccharine love songs out there – there’s an acute awareness of love’s limitations, and that’s what makes it strikingly authentic.

Moving into Verse 2, we see another snapshot of the relationship. “Sometimes we talk all night long, we don’t shut up. And when it’s late, we’ll say we’re still wide awake,” Gonzalez sings, painting a picture of intimacy that thrives in the small hours. The verse continues to outline dreams of shared adventures: “We love to talk about how you’ll come up to visit me, and we’ll rent a car, and we’ll drive upstate.” Here, the lyrics encapsulate the longing for shared experiences and deeper connection. It’s escapism through the protagonist’s lens – a future planned together yet wrapped in a layer of ambiguity that leaves the listener questioning its fruition.

The Bridge is a hypnotic repetition of “I think of you, I want you too, I’d fall for you.” This section underscores the obsession and emotional surrender inherent in the song’s narrative. Gonzalez’s delivery here is almost mantra-like, reinforcing the depth of his infatuation and his resignation to it. The repetition is a clever compositional technique that mirrors the ceaseless cycle of longing and introspection within unrequited or complicated love.

Finally, the Outro revisits the declaration, “It’s affection, always,” almost like a resigned sigh that closes the chapter on this emotionally tumultuous tale. The repetition here doesn’t just serve as a bookend; it reinforces the notion that despite everything – the mean outbursts, the drunken words, the dreams unfulfilled – the feeling remains constant. Affection, in this context, is enduring but fraught with contradictions.

Musically, “Affection” is quintessentially Cigarettes After Sex – ethereal synths, languid tempo, and Gonzalez’s androgynous voice drenched in reverb. The simplicity of the arrangement allows the lyrics to take center stage, enabling the listener to become fully immersed in the emotional landscape the song traverses.

In summation, “Affection” thrives in its raw portrayal of love’s imperfections. It’s a melancholic yet beautiful depiction of modern romance, where dreams and reality intermingle, creating spaces where affection can both hurt and heal. Cigarettes After Sex continues to excel at capturing these shadowy corners of the human heart, offering a soundtrack for those late-night reveries and existential musings.