This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
No milk today my love is gone away
The bottle stands forlorn a symbol of the dawn
No milk today it seems a common sight
But people passing by don't know the reason why
How could they know just what this message means
The end of all my hopes the end of all my dreams
How could they know a palace there had been
Behind the door where my love reigned as queen
No milk today it wasn't always so
The company was gay we turn'd night into day
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
Becomes a shrine when I think of you only
Just two-up, two-down
No milk today it wasn't always so
The company was gay we turn'd night into day
As music played the faster did we dance
We felt it both at once the start of our romance
How could they know just what this message means
The end of all my hopes the end of all my dreams
How could they know a palace there had been
Behind the door where my love reigned as queen
No milk today my love is gone away
The bottle stands forlorn a symbol of the dawn
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
Becomes a shrine when I think of you only
Just two-up, two-down
No milk today my love is gone away
The bottle stands forlorn a symbol of the dawn
No milk today it seems a common sight
But people passing by don't know the reason why
How could they know just what this message means
The end of all my hopes the end of all my dreams
How could they know a palace there had been
Behind the door where my love reigned as queen
No milk today it wasn't always so
The company was gay we turn'd night into day
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
All that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
The bottle stands forlorn a symbol of the dawn
No milk today it seems a common sight
But people passing by don't know the reason why
How could they know just what this message means
The end of all my hopes the end of all my dreams
How could they know a palace there had been
Behind the door where my love reigned as queen
No milk today it wasn't always so
The company was gay we turn'd night into day
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
Becomes a shrine when I think of you only
Just two-up, two-down
No milk today it wasn't always so
The company was gay we turn'd night into day
As music played the faster did we dance
We felt it both at once the start of our romance
How could they know just what this message means
The end of all my hopes the end of all my dreams
How could they know a palace there had been
Behind the door where my love reigned as queen
No milk today my love is gone away
The bottle stands forlorn a symbol of the dawn
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
Becomes a shrine when I think of you only
Just two-up, two-down
No milk today my love is gone away
The bottle stands forlorn a symbol of the dawn
No milk today it seems a common sight
But people passing by don't know the reason why
How could they know just what this message means
The end of all my hopes the end of all my dreams
How could they know a palace there had been
Behind the door where my love reigned as queen
No milk today it wasn't always so
The company was gay we turn'd night into day
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
All that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
But all that's left is a place dark and lonely
A terraced house in a mean street back of town
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"No Milk Today", In England, milk was delivered to the door in glass bottles and there was usually a regular order (Two pints please). The empty bottles were rinsed and left on the doorstep for the milkman to pick up with the next delivery. It wasn't unusual to leave a note in the top of a bottle for any variation ("one extra pint, please, we have company" or "No milk for the next week, we are away") "no milk today" was the most common, usually because for some reason the previous day's hadn't been used. Of course this matches in with the general thrust of the song. Only one person is living there now, the other has left, so not so much milk is being used, hence "No milk today, it seems a common sight But people passing by don't know the reason why" And in case you're wondering, "just two up, two down" describes a small english terraced house with two main rooms on the ground floor and two bedrooms above. I was brought up in a 'three up, two down' terraced house. So, the final meaning is that a couple were living together in a small, very working-class house, but their love made it a palace. But now she has left him and he is alone with only his memories.
@AlanOldie Perfect explanation No one could do better! Congrats man.
I remember those years when the milk came in glass bottles here in my country Brazil... 60's and 70's.
@AlanOldie I realize this subj is 11 years old ( 2020 at time of my reply ), however I wanna thank you for the nice summary, esp the 2up 2down comment. Brilliant.<br /> -kel
@AlanOldie It's even sadder than that. A couple might live in a flat or a bungalow, three rooms on one level. Two up, two down is a house for people planning on starting a family. But all his hopes and dreams have ended when his love went away.<br /> <br /> I remember milk deliveries. One thing was, milk right from the dairy was pasteurized but not homogenized unless you asked for "homo milk". :) So, when you removed the pog (a replaceable cardboard seal) the top of the bottle was filled with cream, perfect for your coffee or cereal.<br /> <br /> There was a little wire cage the bottles went into, to keep critters from messing with the milk. The note on changes to standard orders was printed by the dairy and had checkboxes so no one had to read anyone's handwriting.<br /> <br /> We lived outside of town and so got deliveries only three days a week. The weekend order usually included a treat like chocolate milk, or eggnog in the winter. The dairy man also delivered eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, and in one place we lived, Danish pastries.
Don't mean to sound condescending, but there's really only one meaning for this (I think). Back in the day, you had milk delivered in bottles to your front doorstep... and the girl moved out, so milk is no longer delivered where she used to live. The guy reminisces about all the fun they had at her place, but now it's just deserted, and he misses her. I really like this song, it's a more mature side to the band.
hit the nail on the head!
I think the song is about a guy who lived together with a girl. Now she abandoned him. He is still adapting to the bachelor live. He doesn't cook nor takes care of himself. When he sees the abandoned milk bottle at his porch he is suddenly confronted with how things have changed and he starts to appreciate how things were before. At the same time he is struck with the solitude of how, to outsiders, everything about his life seems pretty much the same. All they see is an empty bottle and they don't understand what that stands for. He must cope with his loss on his own.
beautiful song :)
Two options: A. His girl has dumped him and eloped with the milkman. B. The singer and the milkman were lovers, and the milkman has left town.
@krakra It seems to me a gay response... Am I right?
Wow. i was born in 1990 and i have much appreciation for oldies music. this song stands out more than anyother song from that time and genera. way better than any Beatles song. The chorus is just so beautiful. Great song!
Alan Oldie is right on target. Young man lost the love of his life for whatever reason. He is not sure why, neighbors can't know. He is just heartbroken and leaves the message to the milkman, "no milk today", because his love has gone away. The house, once a shrine to his queen, is now dark and lonely, just two up, two down. <br /> <br /> I agree with ehoff14 and others that this is an unusually beautifull song from a group typically associated with glib "pop" music. If you have ever had your heart crushed by lost love, this song hits home.
I don't know for sure, that's why I came here. Maybe there was no milk because the girl (or man, or boy or whatever) left his house early and drank the milk that was at the door...
I have been wondering what it means thanks glamorous*sunrise
Can I just say, this is a gerat, beautiful song. I hate it when you try to tell someone about a great oldie and all they can say is "OMG, THAT SONG IS SOOOOOOOOOOO OLD!"
Its sickening "THAT SONG IS SO LAST YEAR" when it had only been released last week.
Peace to you people who commented; Oiram, glamorous*sunrise, travelerbird123, zell and peace to shut for putting the lyrics up.
Yeah, you're right. I'm 17 years old and I love the music of the 60ies and 70ies. It just goes on my nerves when other people say that I'm too young for this music. I'm sorry to tell but the biggest part of the music stuff that is made today just makes me sick ;)<br /> <br /> No Milk Today is a real classic for me, I loved listening to this catchy tune since my early youth :)<br /> I wasn't that sure about the meaning of the song, but I guess glamorous*sunrise is right.<br />
I think the song is about a man who has just been dumpt by his big breasted girlfriend. She dumpt him, decause she realised that she's a lesbian.