Quoth Marcus Le Blanc <macus@cc.gatech.edu>:

It seems like a song about alcoholism. Okay, Lad is this guy (generic old name reference omitted) and he love Gal (ditto only for her). Gal says stuff to Lad when she is drunk that hurts his feelings. He tells her not to call him at work again, like she has before and the boss got mad at her for something she said. He says that he doesn't love her anymore, probably for the person she has become. Then he calls them nightmare people, like there relationship has become a nightmare. It says Lad looks at other gals, probably in wishing that his woman was like them. Then it says...and this is where I get the alcoholism thing from....that Gal thinks Jim Beam is handsomer than Lad. Jim Beam being strong Scotch. Like that is her object of desire or her love now. The song then says to call off the wedding band....like to get a divorce. Then it says nobody wants to hear that song again, like they don't want to see them getting back together. But the last line, play it again....is like Lad saying that I love her and doesn't want to leave her, that he wants to help her work through this.

Quoth Neil Freeman <u14635@uic.edu>:

Firstoff: I think They'll need a crane is about a relationship that is falling apart beacause of lies, Freudian slips and innuendo, as well as alcoholism. What Marcus Le Blanc misses is the 'Oh no no' before 'the boss still hates me." It goes like this (in the song, not lyrics):

"Don't call me at work again
"oh no no
"The Boss still hates me"

What John and John are giving us is just one part of a conversation, maybe like you'd hear listening to someone else talk on the telephone. Maybe this song is from the POV of someone who is listening to Lad, or Gal. Like a friend of both (just made fone part up).

The 'oh no no' Is Lad replying to something Gal said like this maybe:

Lad: "Don't call me ..."
Gal: "Is this because you don't want ot talk to me anymore" [or so]
Lad: "oh no no, the boss still hates me ..."

This way, it seems like Lad is lying to Gal. He doesn't love her anymore, and is annoyed by her. He lies bc., well bc. that's what people do. Then he tries to make it up to her, but only makes it worse (nightmare people). Maybe this makes Gal like Jim Beam better. This is how i don't think the alcohol is the main part.

I agree with the interp of "lad looks at other Gals." But i think the whole thing is:These two still love each other, it's just the drink, and bicker and do things that annoy, like looking at other girls, and saying things that aren't meant as bad, but cause a little pain. I've seen couples where the 'Gal' says things little things about appearance, manners, etc. that the 'Lad' doesn't really care about. It's a personality clash.

I also agree what this Le Blanc sez about 'call off the wedding band,' but don't forget wedding bands are also the rings couples exchange. This doesn't effect the meaning, tho.

In the end of the song ithink the lines about play that one again, and needing a wrecking ball to take the house (og love) apart imply that even through all the petty stuff, they should start over, cos it wuold be too hard to break up the love.

Giantisms:

• There is a contradiction in the lines, "Nobody wants to hear that one again / Play that again."