TV Girl is an American indie pop band from San Diego, California, consisting of Brad Petering, Jason Wyman, and Wyatt Harmon.
“Loving Machine” is one of their most popular tracks written by Brad Petering. The song expresses regret over a past love through the story of Maddie Klein and her “fabulous loving machine.”
Through the depiction of how the loving machine won’t leave Maddie Klein, the song conveys the message that companionship and trust are the most important in a relationship.
In this article, we will delve into the lyrics of this song to dissect its meaning and the emotions it conveys.
Inspiration Behind “Loving Machine”
At a show in Portland on February 4, 2017, Brad Petering, as shared by a Genesis contributor, opened up about the inspiration behind “Loving Machine.”
The song, he revealed, is all about an ex who used to jokingly call him ‘Mr. Robot’ because of his somewhat limited range of expressiveness.
“Loving Machine” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
Here she comes walking down the street
Maddie Klein and her fabulous loving machine
In the place where I used to be
He almost looks like a human being
And here she comes walking down the street
Maddie Klein sure loves her little loving machine
Sometimes he holds her hand too tight
Ooh, but that’s alright
The song’s opening lines introduce us to a woman named “Maddie Klein” strolling down the street with her boyfriend, whom the singer refers to as her “loving machine.” There’s a bit of mystery surrounding Maddie Klein’s identity—some suspect she might be inspired by the actress and model Madelyn Cline.
The phrase “loving machine” could mean a guy who’s either overly robotic in his affections or perhaps an actual robot. The line “He almost looks like a human being” hints that the singer sees this guy as a human-like robot.
Also, when the singer mentions Maddie Klein and her loving machine walking where he used to be, it suggests that Maddie might be the singer’s ex-girlfriend.
The lyrics “Sometimes he holds her hand too tight/Ooh, but that’s alright” show the singer observing the couple, concerned about Maddie Klein’s relationship with her “loving machine.” Yet, there’s a sense of relief that the machine’s only flaw seems to be holding her hand too tightly, nothing more concerning.
[Chorus]
Cause he’ll never leave
No, he’ll never leave
Will he ever pull her hair like she likes?
No, but that’s alright
Maddie Klein and her fabulous loving machine
In the chorus, the singer showers praise on the loving machine for its unwavering loyalty to Maddie Klein, singing, “Cause he’ll never leave/No, he’ll never leave.” Of course, a machine won’t leave. Maddie Klein’s loving machine is similar to a love doll—a steadfast companion that will never abandon her.
However, by praising the loving machine, the singer appears to quietly admit to his past mistakes of not spending enough time staying with Maddie Klein. The lyrics suggest that the singer now understands how crucial companionship is in love.
The singer wonders, “Will he ever pull her hair like she likes?” expressing concern that the loving machine may not offer a deeper, more personalized connection for Maddie Klein.
Despite this, the singer concludes that even if the loving machine doesn’t fulfill every nuanced desire, it doesn’t matter. As long as the machine remains loyal, it will continue to be Maddie Klein’s “fabulous loving machine.”
[Verse 2]
There they go, walking up the street
She’ll take him home, shut him down, and she’ll go to sleep
And that’s just the way that it’s got to be
She can’t get him wet, or he’ll overheat
And who really cares about a little rust
If Maddie Klein’s got herself a little boy she can trust?
Sometimes she misses the flesh and bone
But they only wanna screw her, and leave her alone
In the second verse, it becomes clear that the “loving machine” in the song is, indeed, a robot. The singer describes how Maddie Klein takes the machine home, shuts it down, and goes to sleep, treating it like a computer. Why? Because, as the singer points out, it’s a machine – it can’t get wet or overheat, limiting their intimate connections in the bedroom. The lyrics emphasize, “And that’s just the way that it’s got to be/She can’t get him wet, or he’ll overheat.”
The singer highlights a flaw in the loving machine: the possibility of it getting “a little rust” over time. Interestingly, the singer notes that nobody cares about this imperfection, as long as Maddie Klein sees the machine as “a little boy she can trust.” These lines hint at the singer possibly betraying Maddie Klein in the past, losing her trust.
Despite the machine’s companionship and trustworthiness, Maddie Klein still yearns for a more intimate connection. The singer reflects on this, acknowledging that a real human boyfriend, like himself, may provide warmth and physical pleasure but can also inevitably hurt and “leave her alone.” The lyrics convey the singer’s regret for hurting and abandoning Maddie Klein.
Once again, the singer underscores the significance of companionship and trust in a romantic relationship, acknowledging that, despite his human qualities, he falls short compared to the machine as a boyfriend.
[Chorus 2]
But he’ll never leave
No, he’ll never leave
Will he ever smack her ass like she likes?
Will he ever make her laugh late at night?
No, but he’ll never leave
When he gets obsolete
She can always just throw him away
And get a new one, but that’s okay
She’ll love him the same
As her fabulous loving machine
In the second chorus, the singer continues to highlight the loving machine’s shortcomings as a boyfriend, but he offers a counterargument. He belts out, “Will he ever smack her ass like she likes?/Will he ever make her laugh late at night?/No, but he’ll never leave.” Here, the singer questions whether the machine can replicate his ability to entertain Maddie Klein physically and flirtatiously, bringing laughter and joy.
Obviously, the loving machine falls short in these areas, but it excels in one key aspect – unwavering companionship. The singer drives home this point, stressing that the machine will never leave Maddie.
Even if the machine becomes obsolete, Maddie can simply get a new one without feeling hurt—it’s just a machine, after all. The singer belts out, “When he gets obsolete/She can always just throw him away/And get a new one, but that’s okay.” It’s like how we don’t get sentimental when we upgrade to a new laptop; we still love the new computer just as much.
The singer acknowledges that this logic applies to Maddie too, affirming, “She’ll love him the same/As her fabulous loving machine.”
Overall Message
In “Loving Machine” by TV Girl, the lyrics tells a tale about Maddie Klein and her loving machine. At first glance, it appears to be a song about Maddie dating a robot.
But diving deeper, the singer reflects on regret, expressing how he failed to give enough time and loyalty to Maddie Klein (who symbolizes a possible ex-girlfriend).
Ironically, while the machine can’t provide much to Maddie Klein, it stands loyal and steadfast, never betraying her.
Ultimately, the song encourages us to appreciate companionship and faithfulness in relationships, stressing the importance of offering security to our partners.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.