Friday Sessions #42: ‘Just use me up and then you walk away’ – ‘Your Woman’, White Town

‘Your woman‘ was released in 1997, written by the one man band ‘White Town,’ (otherwise known as Jyoti Prakash Mishra, a British-Indian musician.) Some would say that this track perfectly captures the sound of nineties music in the UK, with a blend of electronic dance, hip-hop and indie-pop.

So, can you find the line ‘Just use me up and then you walk away’? The phrasal verb ‘to use up’ is more common when referring to things. For example, you can use up energy, money, petrol, food, ideas, and even patience …… But, to ‘use someone up‘ usually refers to emotions, expressing that someone is exhausted and there is nothing left to give.

Examples:

“We’ve used up all the milk, can you buy more later?” (We’ve drunk all the milk.)

“He’s used up all the budget for the year.” (He’s spent all the money)

“I’ve used up all my patience trying to defend my position.” (I am tired)

Lyrics:

Just tell me what you’ve got to say to me
I’ve been waiting for so long to hear the truth
It comes as no surprise at all you see
So cut the crap and tell me that we’re through

Now I know your heart, I know your mind
You don’t even know you’re bein’ unkind
So much for all your highbrow Marxist ways
Just use me up and then you walk away
Boy, you can’t play me that way

Well I guess what you say is true
I could never be the right kind of girl for you

I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman

When I saw my best friend yesterday
She said she never liked you from the start
Well me, I wish that I could claim the same
But you always knew you held my heart

And you’re such a charming, handsome man
Now I think I finally understand
Is it in your genes
I don’t know
But I’ll soon find out, that’s for sure
Why did you play me this way

Well I guess what you say is true
I could never be the right kind of girl for you

I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman

Well I guess what they say is true
I could never spend my life with a man like you

I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman
I could never be your woman