Damien Rice - Delicate Lyrics Meaning

SUMMARY: This is a tragic story of a forbidden love between two people that cannot be together and that they know that must come to an end, but neither of them can let it go....

We might kiss when we are alone
When nobody's watching
We might take it home
We might make out when nobody's there
(These 4 lines are about being doing this in secret and alone and out of everyone's view).

It's not that we're scared
(meaning that we do both really want to be together)

It's just that it's delicate
(delicate as in a complicated secret love affair that is fragile and tragic)

We might live like never before
(do things together that are amazing: fantastic adventures or just being alone together making each moment count)

When there's nothing to give
(when we are together the rest of the world doesn't exist so they don't have to "give" to it - work, family, children, etc)

Well how can we ask for more
(due to life's circumstances, we separated and it's limited and we can't ask for more without making this fragile thing more complicated; it's a tragic love)

We might make love in some sacred place (making love in some secret place that is just our own and where no one can find us)

The look on your face is delicate
(again, the complication of seeing a great love in someone's eyes that we both know is doomed because of circumstances and the sadness knowing we can ultimately never be together)

So why do you fill my sorrow
(why do we continue knowing it cannot go anywhere and we ultimately will never be together)

With the words you've borrowed
(equating to borrowed time - saying I love you knowing the inevitable will happen and we cannot be together)

From the only place you've known
(borrowed from the reality of what life really has for us and what ultimately separates us)

And why do you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
(when we say hallelujah it means we are excited about something and rejoicing - but here when we are together "hallelujah" might be how we feel, but it means nothing because we know it will and has to end tragically being separated)

Why do you sing with me at all?
(Such a longing for each other but the bottom line is, why are we still together when we both know it has to end, yet neither can let it go and the need for one of them to be the strong person and end it)