The lyrics tell the story of a chance encounter in a crowded room where the narrator sees his ex-lover. While she appears happy at first, her emotions break through when she spots him. He admits to running away from commitment and "breaking her heart" because his own heart had been broken previously—a cycle of pain he acknowledges but continues. The phrase "save your tears for another day" acts as a bittersweet plea for her to move on to someone better who can actually be there for her.
The music video continues the dark narrative of the After Hours album:
Fans and critics often point to two major public relationships as the inspiration behind the track:
