☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics tell the story of a complicated relationship between the narrator and Jane, a girl he has fallen in love with.
- Jane is torn and can't decide which side she's on, leading to insecurities and confusion.
- The narrator tries to impress Jane and gain her trust, but she remains skeptical and doesn't believe in the faithfulness of men.
- Jane ultimately decides to just stay friends, which disappoints the narrator.
- The song lyrics address themes such as trust, friendship, and self-doubt.
Interpretation
The song lyrics "Jane" by
Barenaked Ladies tell the story of a man who falls in love with a girl named Jane who works in a store. He was fascinated by her smile when he shopped there, and it didn't take long for them to start living together. He would sing her songs while she dyed his hair.
But Jane is torn and can't decide which side she's on. She thinks that only cowards stay, while traitors run away. The man is confused and doesn't know which way to go. He says, "Jane, torn, but I can't decide which side I'm on. Jane has decided that only cowards stay, while traitors run away".
The man tries to impress Jane by bringing her gifts like gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But she thinks he's making fun of her. She makes him feel like he's fourteen years old again. That's why she thinks it would be better if they just stayed friends. He says, "That's why she thinks it would be better if we just stayed friends".
Jane has little trust in men and doesn't believe they can be faithful. She doesn't give him the chance to prove himself. He says, "Jane doesn't believe a man could ever be faithful. Jane doesn't give me the chance to be shameful".
The man has written a letter that she was supposed to receive yesterday. He tries to explain that life could be better if they were together. But he can't explain it to Jane.
At the end of the song, it is revealed that the man is now committing theft in the store where Jane works, while still being fascinated by her smile.
The song lyrics thus deal with the complicated relationship between Jane and the narrator, their insecurities, and the difficulties of finding common ground. It also touches on the themes of trust, friendship, and self-doubt.