The First Five Times by Stars Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Chronicles of Intimacy and Change

Lyrics

First time in the backyard
Underneath the plastic sheeting
Outside it was pouring
And we were drunk as shit

Next time, at a party
When all our friends were there
There is nothing like their mattresses
Underneath the stairs

Third time in a doorway
With the lights all on around us
And the audience beside us
And your man watching from the trees

Fourth time, I said that’s that
You’ve agreed to give me everything
Now I’ve got to ask you one more thing
Keep doing that forever

Fifth time in your bedroom
And finally we rested
And you leaned upon your elbow
And began to speak to me

But you stopped yourself and kissed me
And I grabbed your wrist and told you
I know, I know, I know
I feel the same as you

And everyday, it’s changed since then
In every way, I’ve changed since then
And everyday, it’s changed since then
In every way, I’ve changed since then

Driven outside
I’ve driven you
Driven outside
I’ve driven you
I’ve driven you, I’ve driven you

Canadian indie darlings Stars have a penchant for crafting songs that are both heartbreaking and profoundly intimate. ‘The First Five Times,’ a track from their 2004 album ‘Set Yourself on Fire,’ is a poignant narrative that captures the transformative power of intimate moments. The lyrical journey we’re taken on beautifully encapsulates the complexity of human relationships and the emotional evolution that stems from them.

Through a series of tender and, at times, raw snapshots, the song explores the evolution of a relationship, marking each encounter with a blend of vulnerability and evocative imagery. Fans have long marveled at the band’s ability to distill the essence of love, heartbreak, and growth into their music – ‘The First Five Times’ is a prime example of this skill.

A Prelude to Intimacy: The Rawness of the First Encounter

The song opens by setting a scene that’s both chaotic and common—a makeshift romantic setting in a backyard shoved against the backdrop of a storm. It’s this very realism, combined with a glimpse into impulsivity (e.g., ‘drunk as shit’), that immediately pulls the listener into an all-too-familiar beginning. This narrative device not only establishes the tone and setting of a young, perhaps reckless love, but it also embeds us within the authenticity of someone’s personal history.

The use of ‘plastic sheeting’ serves as a metaphor for the transient nature of the early stages of romance, a shield against external chaos but a temporary and fragile one, much like the budding relationship it is meant to protect. It speaks to the idea of carving out an intimate space within the disorder of life.

Evolving in Plain Sight: Party Floors and Staircase Soirees

The second stanza of the song transports us to a party, an event stylishly familiar yet full of subtext. By juxtaposing romantic intimacy with a public setting, Stars artfully captures the way couples find themselves amidst the crowd. The ‘mattresses underneath the stairs’ evoke youthful exploits and experimentation, with the physical location mirroring the clandestine and sometimes awkward phase of exploring a relationship.

Furthermore, with all their friends around, there’s an interplay between private connection and social presence, hinting at the balance we strive to maintain between personal and public personas, especially when a new romance is at stake.

The Spectacle of Love: When Private Moments Turn Public

In the third verse, Stars captures a risqué encounter, one that doesn’t shy away from voyeuristic gazes (‘your man watching from the trees’). It’s an overt nod to the exhibitionistic side of passion, where the thrill of being caught or observed can intertwine with the act itself.

But beyond the rush, there’s also a sense of vulnerability, lying bare both for each other and for unintended audiences. This complex interlacing of emotions—desire, fear, bravado, and exposure—resonates deeply with anyone who has ever been in a charged, quasi-public romantic moment.

The Pivotal Promise: Love’s Turning Point

As ‘The First Five Times’ builds towards its emotional climax, we hit the fourth encounter, which serves as a watershed moment. It’s a negotiation of futures (‘you’ve agreed to give me everything’), a metaphorical laying of cards on the table that turns casual interaction into serious commitment.

But it’s in the singer’s petition—’Keep doing that forever’—that we encounter the song’s visceral pull. Here lies the raw plea for permanence in the face of the fleeting, a yearning to make flitting moments of happiness endure beyond the transient nature of early romance. The ordinary phrase twists into a lyrical entreaty for everlasting love.

Unearthing the Hidden Meaning: The Transience of Affection

In every narrative, there’s a subtext, a message nestled between the lines. In ‘The First Five Times,’ this message appears to be about time’s impact on love—the metamorphosis of individuals and the relationships they form over the ticking of the clock. While it can be interpreted as a linear growth from tentative first encounters to a deeper connection, it also hints at the ways in which people change and drift apart.

The almost incantatory repetition at the end (‘And everyday, it’s changed since then’) adds to this interpretation, hinting at an evolution so marked and personal that each day brings with it an entirely new facet of experience. It’s a bittersweet truth about the fluidity and impermanence of relationships and the selves within them.

Echoing the Unspoken: The Poetry of Telepathy and Silence

Among the most memorable lines of the piece are those left unspoken by characters, yet felt by the audience (‘But you stopped yourself and kissed me’). It’s here that Stars masterfully paints the picture of a conversation overtaken by physicality and the unspoken understanding that sometimes, actions truly do speak louder than words.

This line acts as a hinge in the song, revealing the nature of the bond the couple shares. One might argue it’s the most intimate part of the song—not because of what’s done, but because of what’s understood. In these silent spaces, we find the core of connection—an unvoiced pact that says, ‘I know, I feel the same as you.’