The song “Stealing Rosemary” by The Bengals is generally interpreted as a melancholic break-up song that uses poetic and abstract metaphors to describe a painful and complex relationship.
The love-hate relationship: The song portrays the intense, conflicting emotions that can exist between two people. The lyrics suggest a flood of feelings that are difficult to process, let alone translate literally.
A “lame and very emotional” break-up song: One fan described the song as having a straightforward, emotional break-up theme, with the abstract lyrics serving as a way to process the messy feelings that result.
Abstract metaphors: The lyrics are more about creating an overall mood and conveying the author’s state of mind than telling a linear story. The listener is meant to feel the emotions rather than dissect a literal narrative