Everything You've Come To Expect

The Last Shadow Puppets' song 'Everything You've Come To Expect' is a rich tapestry of vivid imagery and emotional complexity. The lyrics, woven with surreal and sometimes cryptic references, paint a picture of desire, nostalgia, and the haunting nature of past relationships. The song's title itself suggests a sense of disillusionment, as if the speaker is reflecting on the gap between expectation and reality.

The opening lines of the song set a dreamlike scene with 'Tiger eyelashes' and 'summer wine,' evoking a sense of warmth and sensuality. However, this is quickly juxtaposed with darker, more apocalyptic imagery like 'Apocalyptic lipstick campaign' and 'Four horsemen in a one horse race.' These lines could symbolize the destructive nature of desire or the end of a relationship. The 'dance she does to shadowplay' suggests a performance, perhaps the way people present themselves in romantic situations, which is driven by primal instincts.

The chorus brings a personal element to the song, revealing the speaker's struggle with memories of a past lover. The repetition of 'Everything that you've come to expect' serves as a haunting refrain, emphasizing the weight of expectations in love and life. The coastal air 'gets a girl to reflect,' indicating a moment of introspection, possibly about a love triangle, as hinted by 'I just can't get the thought of you and him out of my head.' The song ends with the speaker trying to forget and live with regret, suggesting a cycle of emotions that are as inevitable as they are painful.