Ben Howard’s “End of the Affair” Lyrics Meaning

As the title (“End of the Affair”) suggests, in this song Ben Howard is singing about the cessation of a romantic relationship, specifically one that he was involved in. Apparently the title was derived from a 1951 book of the same name by a British author named Graham Greene. That piece of literature is centered on a character who falls in love with a married woman who then leaves him and starts dating another dude. And in the process of it all he becomes obsessed with her.

And likewise, the use of the word “affair” in this song’s would insinuate that the addressed lover perhaps already belongs to someone else, in a romantic sense. Moreover she has decided to move on with her life without the singer. But just like the character in the book, Ben Howard is finding it difficult to “(live) without her”.

Thus the primary sentiment expressed throughout the track is one where the singer is suffering from depression and an associated general lack of concern for his life. Indeed the “end of the affair” with his significant other has really devastated his overall disposition, as he does not seem to be able to get over her.

Release of “End of the Affair”

“End of the Affair” was released as the second single from Ben Howard’s I Forget Where We Were on 26 August 2017. With a duration of almost eight minutes, this is the longest track on the aforementioned album. FYI, “Conrad” (which is one of Howard’s signature songs) also appears on this album.

Appearance on “Power”

This song made an appearance during the closing scene of an episode (season three, episode six) of the hit drama series Power, which aired in August of 2016.

Writing and Production of “End of the Affair”

Ben Howard wrote “End of the Affair”. And it was produced by his trusty collaborator Chris Bond, though on this occasion he was assisted by Ben in that regard.