Meaning of "These Days" by Tom Rush

These lyrics paint a picture of a person who has lived a life full of regrets and missed chances. The narrator seems to be consumed by self-doubt and a fear of repeating past mistakes, leading them to withdraw from society and relationships. The lines "Don't confront me with my failures, I have not forgotten them" show how the weight of past regrets continues to burden the narrator, making it hard for them to move forward or embrace new opportunities. The choice to sit and count time in quarter tones suggests a feeling of stagnation, as the narrator seems to be stuck in a cycle of reflection and inaction. Ultimately, the song captures the melancholy of missed chances and the toll that regret can take on a person's ability to live fully in the present.