The Things That I Used To Do

The speaker looks back on the ways he tried to keep a lover close, including holding her hand and pleading with her not to leave. He now says he will stop these behaviors and end the relationship. The mood shifts from hurt and desperation toward a firm, if weary, decision to separate.

Searching for her “all night” suggests both literal effort and anxious uncertainty. His searches “end in vain,” meaning they achieve nothing; he eventually realizes she is hiding with another man. Sending her back to her mother and returning to his own family sound like a practical way to part, though “family” could mean relatives or a separate home life.

The repeated promise not to do these things “no more” may express genuine resolve, but the repetition also makes the speaker’s feelings seem unsettled: he is still explaining the pain behind his choice. He blames their inability to get along on the fact that nothing he does pleases her. That is his view of the conflict, not proof that only one person is responsible. The lyrics leave open whether he feels relief, resignation, or lingering sadness.