The song "What's Her Name Today?" is a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. It was released in 1998 as part of their album "Painted from Memory." The song tells the story of a man who constantly changes his partner, mistreating and leaving them heartbroken. The lyrics express the narrator's frustration towards the man's behavior. They question what the woman's name is today because the man has a pattern of constantly changing partners. The narrator is amazed at how the man can treat these women so poorly, implying that he should be ashamed of his actions. The song suggests that the man uses relationships to try and escape his own emotional pain. He punishes every girl he meets, hoping it will make his own feelings go away. The narrator wonders if the man even realizes that he is hurting others and if he truly thinks each woman is a different person. The mention of the radio playing in the bedroom wall symbolizes the presence of outside influences, such as media or songs, that may have influenced the man's behavior or his perception of love. The lyrics also describe the woman's perspective, questioning if she should trust the man and his promises. The narrator reveals that the woman wants to believe in the man's words, even though it's a lonely world for her. The song seems to convey sympathy and concern for these unnamed women who fall victim to the man's destructive pattern. The final verses metaphorically describe the woman as being hung up like a chandelier, emphasizing her vulnerability and how she becomes a decoration or possession for the man. Overall, "What's Her Name Today?" explores themes of changing partners, mistreatment, emotional pain, and the consequences of inflicting harm on others in the pursuit of healing oneself.
