A Martyr for my love for you

Perhaps my favourite White Stripes song off Icky Thump. Maybe it's because I can relate to it. It's about a guy who falls in love with a girl, but because he lacks confidence he decides the best way for him is to leave her alone, and stop making things awakward.

She was sixteen and six feet tall
in a crowd of teenagers comin' out of the zoo
She stumbled started to slip and fall
teeter-tottered on the top of patent leather shoes
I happened to catch her and said,
"maybe these ruby shoes are a little cumbersome for you."

White is talking about a teenage kind of affection and the first time the guy actually met the girl. Kinda dramatic, and shows the basic things a guy would observe.

But not as shaky as I must have seemed
talkin' junk through her giggle little teenage dream
And on the phone I could not compete
my dumb luck, fake confidence was getting weak
For a sec I thought I sounded sweet
but sure 'nough in a gruff, faint voice
I heard myself speak

The guy then realizes that he lacks confidence. He is shaky. He starts to talk rubbish (stuttering perhaps?) And worst of all, he hears his own rough voice on the telephone, when he should have sounded sweet! Must have been a stab to his confidence.

Chorus: I could stay a while
but sooner or later I'll break your smile
And I can tell a joke
but one of these days I'm bound to choke
And we could share a kiss
but I feel like I can't go through with this
And I bet we could build a home
but I know the right thing for me to do
Is to leave you alone

He realizes that he is not good with jokes, neither is he good in accompanying her. He is such a destroyer, the breaker of smiles, and the spoiler of moods. He then contemplates leaving her alone, if only to make things better for her.

But I'm trying to save you
from all of the things that I'll probably say or do
You probably call me a fool
and say I'm doin' exactly what a coward would do
And I'm beginning to like you
it's a shame; what a lame way to live
But what can I do
I hope you appreciate what I do

I'm a martyr for my love for you

The guy calls himself a 'martyr' for his decision to 'save her from the things that he'll say or do'. He wants to spare her any more embarrassing and awakward moments. He feels that it is the only choice - 'what can I do'. Quite a sad song I reckon. The guy only seems to be thinking of the girl's happiness. This song captures the silliness and innocence of teenage affection.