I Use The Soap

David Gates' song 'I Use The Soap' delves into the profound emotional turmoil that follows a breakup. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person grappling with the aftermath of a lost relationship, using everyday actions as metaphors for their emotional state. The opening lines, 'I use the soap to wash the dirt off my face / I write with pencil so that I can erase,' suggest a desire to cleanse oneself of past mistakes and the wish to undo actions, reflecting the longing to reverse the breakup and start anew.

The song's chorus, 'But what's to do when someone's taken my place with you,' underscores the helplessness and despair felt when a loved one moves on with someone else. This sentiment is further amplified by the lines, 'I know to stop when the light turns to red / And when it rains I know to cover my head,' which highlight the singer's awareness of life's basic rules and protections, yet feeling utterly lost when it comes to matters of the heart. The repetition of 'over you' emphasizes the depth of the emotional wound.

As the song progresses, Gates explores the theme of hopelessness and the struggle to move forward. The lines 'I woke to find that my world was not there / It ceased to me when I found you did not care' convey a sense of existential crisis, where the singer's entire world collapses upon realizing their partner's indifference. Despite this, there is a glimmer of resilience in the closing lines, 'And as for me I'll find a new road to hoe / But maybe this time I will take it more slow than before,' suggesting a cautious optimism and a commitment to personal growth and healing, albeit at a slower, more deliberate pace.