The second verse emphasizes that this was not just any friendship but a close one, further reinforcing the depth of regret the narrator feels. The reference to "time can never mend the careless whispers of a good friend" suggests that the damage done to their friendship is permanent.
This is a very sad song and it reeks of betrayal. There are three people involved and they are obviously friends, very close friends. Two of them are in a serious relationship. Today it could be that two women are involved, or it could be a man and woman who are in love?
But for the sake of argument I will say that it is a relationship between a woman and a man who are presumably in love; but there is the third person who is close to them both. However there is a sexual attraction that the friends have toward each other and it becomes increasingly difficult for them to resist one another. They have hung out with each other on numerous occasions, but this night is different.
There is always a danger when friends who are in a friendship like this, because of familiarity, it will soon breed complacency. And it seems that the two friends have spent some time with each other as the lover of the man is out of town (perhaps on business, or family emergency) but while she is gone as it is said: "When the cat's away the mice will play" and these two like happy mice - do just that.
Now here is where it gets sticky. While these two mice are busy playing on the dance floor, there is a "careless whisper" between them that opens a door for them to, as it is in a movie scene on the silver screen, get together sexually. After the music dies they are still dancing and decide to leave the dance club. The bait is taken. After a time of playing this dicey and spicy game, it turns out that the man really loves the spice of his friend more than he does his current love. As a matter of fact he is so enamored with her (the friend) they continue to play with each other thinking that they could do this until the lover returns. Suddenly he finds himself torn between the two women. One he now loves, the other he thought he loved.
The one that he now realizes he loves is open to whatever, in hopes to gain the edge over her best friend. The night's music from the dance floor plays on until the other friend returns and catches them together in a very compromised position. This shatters all levels of trust between them all. The returning lover is so broken that she leaves without a word. Realizing what they both have done, the cheating friend in her sudden heart felt guilt takes serious note to what she has done to her best friend. Now all of both relationships and friendships are torn apart.
Ending up being despised by both women, the man learns a valuable lesson: it is better to remain uninvolved with his lovers friend, because the potential betrayal that comes between them can leave a very bitter taste in everyone's mouth. The woman who he thought he loved is lost. And the friend that he has cheated with, whom he does love, comes to her senses and sees this as the ultimate betrayal between all of them. The cheating friend whom he now wants desperately, the effects of this horrible betrayal is so horrendous for her that she now wants nothing to do with him either.
The rude awakening of all of this has caused them all so much unnecessary pain. This he never expected. He thought that it was going to be a quick roll in the sack and that would be the end of it - they could return to their normal lives. He did not expect to find himself in love with the cheating friend. He never expected his lover to ever find out. And he never, ever expected to find himself wanting the cheating friend so desperately! Now he has lost them both. The cheating friend will never have anything to do with him because of her own pain, and the pain that she has caused her best friend.
Now he is all alone - he contemplates his loneliness and his gross errors. He should have never carelessly whispered in the ear of his friend. And even though he knows this truth, the pain is so unbearable and he knows that he will never find, or have another woman affect him as the cheating friend has.
The moral of the story is friends should stay friends, lovers should remain lovers and if there is at least a hint of interest in the friend, one should come clean and do what is right instead of playing with the feelings and hearts of others who are emotionally involved. This he will never do again and his love for the other friend is something that he will never have again or forget. And he will have to deal with his guilt and unforgiving loss for the rest of his life. This has been a lesson in love that neither he, his lover or the cheating friend will never forget!
A lover lies about who he is. The woman can no longer tell the difference between truth and lies. He can do nothing to get her to see the truth. He is sad at what he threw away with his careless whispers, lies.
I feel this song clearly describes the scenario of falling for a friend's girl....they have an opportunity somewhere to dance together, both knowing what the other is thinking but can't say.....the guy knows it's wrong to cheat his friend out of his girl....but both he and the girl are being careless whether they get caught or not.
This song was written in an era when Night "Clubbing" was much more popular. He fell in love with his dance partner, unintentionally, while he belonged to somebody else. When your on a dance floor you have to talk in your partners ears because of the loud music, thus careless "whispers" during which he fell in love with her but now he can't dance with her any more because the guilt is beginning to set in. Guilt because of his "friend" who he believes he's cheating on ( I love the statement that "guilty feet have got no rhythm") . He doesn't know how to say goodbye is what it comes down to.
my jaw hit the floor after reading this comment, bleenapple. Its like you went inside my head and picked this out from everything else roaming around up there. When i listen to this song it makes me feel exactly the way you just described it. I did those exact things, cheated, lied and kinda got what i deserved. but im still left here wondering, did she know? why did she take the news so well? questions never cease to come up in my mind, they will never get answered, but this song helps a little bit. Great song seether.
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