When English multi-talent Wilbur Soot isn’t being a social media personality or fronting his indie-rock band Lovejoy, he makes solo records, and today, he dropped an album that’s leaving its mark on the Genius Top Songs chart. It’s called Mammalian Sighing Reflex—a pretty great title—and the song that’s grabbing the most clicks out of the gate is called “Mine / Yours.”
Written by Soot himself, “Mine / Yours” is about a relationship that’s not going too well. Over mournful finger-picked acoustic guitar, Soot starts by warning the song’s subject that he’s about to get real.
Why must I feel numb, done what I’ve done
I’ve taken my cues, what I’m supposed to do
Now heave the issue, the narrative’s doomed
When I hold the pen, it’s throttling you
In the second verse, Soot reassesses the past and hurls vitriol in the present. Things are getting really uncomfortable.
You never liked me when drunk
I start to believe you never liked me at all
And so I agree, and I’ll say “Fuck you”
’Cause I know if I don’t, I’ll probably say
Something stupid and true
The third verse hints at just how ugly things might get.
I stand just out of reach of your fists
And take myself away again, pretty slim
The fourth verse offers a devastating depiction of two lovers going through the motions. They’re like a couple of office drones. Nothing could be less sexy.
You kiss me like it was your job
So tender and carefully, teeth before tongue (I wanna be yours)
Not in the way that the romantics do
But with the grace of a workplace HR dispute (I wanna be yours)
And yet on the outro, Soot’s narrator suggests this sad joke of a romance is preferable to being alone.
I take you for granted
Because the alternative’s far more alarming
You can read all the lyrics to “Mine / Yours” on Genius now.
