How's It Going to Be

The speaker seems to be facing the end of a close relationship. At first, he sounds exhausted by arguments and unsure whether anything will be lost if they separate. He keeps asking what life will be like afterward, suggesting both fear of being forgotten and an attempt to act as if he does not care. The repeated question gives the song a restless, uncertain emotional tone.

The contrast between laughter in the past and a “shouting match” now shows how sharply the relationship has changed. The empty hammock is an image of shared time that has stopped: a familiar place remains, but the people and their closeness are gone. The phrase “soft dive of oblivion” suggests wanting to sink into forgetfulness or escape painful thoughts. “The salt of your skin” brings in physical intimacy, hinting that desire and memory remain even as the relationship seems to be breaking apart.

The speaker’s feelings are not entirely settled. Saying “I don’t care” conflicts with repeatedly wondering how separation will feel, so the words may be defensive rather than fully sincere. He may want to leave, yet still miss the other person and the closeness they shared. The lyrics do not say whether the relationship has definitively ended; they hold the speaker in the uncertain moment before, during, or just after a breakup.