What Do You Mean?

The lyrics describe someone who feels confused by a partner’s mixed signals. The speaker wants the relationship to continue, but cannot tell what the other person wants. The repeated question sounds frustrated and urgent, while the verses show a cycle of disagreement, attraction, and uncertainty. The emotional movement is not toward a clear answer; it circles around the same unresolved problem.

Several images make the confusion concrete. Nodding “yes” while wanting to say “no” describes a mismatch between words or gestures and real feelings. Moving “to the left” and then “to the right” suggests changing direction, rather than a stable decision. Being “up,” “down,” and “in between” extends that idea to changing moods. “Make up your mind” means decide what you want, while “running out of time” adds pressure to decide soon.

The speaker presents the partner as confusing, but the song gives only the speaker’s side of the situation. The contradictions could reflect mixed feelings, poor communication, or different understandings of the relationship; the lyrics do not explain which. The plea to “be more straightforward” suggests that clearer communication might help, yet the repeated refrain leaves the central question unanswered.