The Undertones：Meaning of I Don't Know Songmeaning

The Undertones' song "I Don't Know" tells the story of a protagonist who receives a postcard from their romantic interest, who is now in Majorca (an island in Spain) and has fallen in love with a hotel worker. The postcard suggests that their holiday has been extended to last 52 weeks a year, indicating that their romantic interest has no intention of returning. The protagonist reflects on their actions and regrets hurting their romantic interest. They realize that now is not the time for a separation, implying that they still have feelings for this person and wish they hadn't done anything to cause harm. The song also highlights the protagonist's loneliness as they spend Sunday nights at Oscar's Disco, wishing they had somewhere better to go. They drown their sorrows in drinking, trying to forget about their loneliness. However, being alone makes the night drag on slowly. The repetition of the line "She doesn't want to come back but I'm happy to stay" emphasizes the contrast between the protagonist's desire to be with their romantic interest and the romantic interest's choice to stay in Majorca with the hotel worker. Despite this, the protagonist says they are happy to stay where they are. Overall, the song portrays a sense of longing, regret, and acceptance of a situation where one person desires to be reunited with their romantic interest, but the other seems content with being away.