☝️ Key Points
- The singer has deep feelings for someone, but is afraid of getting hurt.
- He has never had someone close who could stop his tears, which shows how important and needed that person is to him.
- He expresses a desire to go back in time and make a different decision to avoid the pain that comes with it.
- The ease with which the other person handles the relationship frustrates and confuses him.
- Ultimately, he confesses that he is afraid of being taken advantage of and would prefer to return to his previous state of loneliness.
Interpretation
"A Different Corner" by
George Michael is a very emotional song about love, loss, and fear. The singer reflects on his relationship and how it has deeply affected him.
He begins with the idea that love is a magical fire that protects us from pain, but he confesses that he hasn't dared to take the risk because losing her would cut him like a knife. These lines show that he has deep feelings for the person but is afraid of being hurt.
In the following lines, he confesses that he has never gotten close to someone who could stop his tears like she does. It shows how important this person is to him and how much he needs her.
The chorus presents a fantasy in which he wishes he could go back in time and take a different corner so they never met. This shows his desperation and desire to escape the pain.
The lines "for you it's a breeze, little by little you've brought me to my knees" show his frustration and confusion about how easy it seems for the other person, while he feels emotionally overwhelmed by the relationship.
Finally, he expresses that if all of this exists, then it is the fear of being used. He would rather go back to his lonely and confused state if he could. It shows his fear and desperation but also his inability to change the situation."