Interpretations:Spy
- Song
- Lyrics
- Interpretations
- Credits
- Guitar Tab
- Bass Tab
- Chronology
I think everyone's always taking this song a bit too literally, as in the narrator practices espionage. In actuality, I think this song has content more like I'm Your Boyfriend Now. The narrator of the song is spying on this girl, but he doesn't really want to. It was something that became almost habitual, and he wants to stop.
In the first verse, he acknowledges this. For example, his "spy glasses" are probably nothing more than standard eyeglasses or sunglasses, but since that's what he wears when spying on the girl, he considers them spy glasses.
The second verse kind of continues that, but differently. The first half shows his obsession with spying on her, as he always sees her- "silhouette is smiling at me." The second half shows he doesn't want this to happen,thus "breaking the spy glass."
I'm sure there might be some rationalization for the improv ending, possibly it's whatever plan the narrator chooses to follow. And the shear random chords could represent failure of sorts. - Kfarnstein
The song has one of the best couplets in the TMBG oeuvre: "If you want to be a spy, then you must really see" (i.e., you have to see things as they really are), "and you must really see if you want to be a spy like me" (i.e., do you seriously want to end up like me, twisted with suspicion and nervous with fear?). --Nehushtan 13:19, 21 Apr 2006 (CDT)
