"Private Life" by Grace Jones is a song that criticizes the intrusive nature of someone's personal life drama and their attempts to involve others in it. The lyrics suggest that the protagonist is tired of dealing with someone's theatrical behavior and finds it irritating. The person's marriage is described as a tragedy, but the protagonist emphasizes that it is not their concern. They admit to being superficial and disliking anything official, indicating a preference for avoiding deep emotional attachments. The song condemns sentimental gestures and pleads for the person to spare the protagonist from their emotional turmoil. The protagonist sees through any attempts to manipulate them using guilt or obligation. They have no interest in the complications of the person's sex life and find it uninteresting. When the person seeks advice, the protagonist urges them to leave the situation and let go of someone they despise. However, the person continues to cling on and tries to manipulate the protagonist emotionally. The protagonist admits to feeling pity when the person lies and contempt when they cry. Overall, the song's message is one of detachment and wanting to stay away from someone's personal life drama. The protagonist wants to be distanced from the person's emotional troubles and emphasizes that it is not their place to be involved.
