An Ending Fitting for the Start

The story of Can’t Stand Me Now and the break up of The Libertines.
Can’t Stand me Now, is arguably The Libertines most famous and well loved song. It was the first track on their self titled second album and tackles the complex and sometimes volatile relationship between Pete Doherty and Carl Barat.
The song features both Doherty and Barat taking vocal duties, with each of them singing heartfelt and emotional lyrics mostly about each other. The first verse talks about a break in at Barats house were Doherty stole a guitar and trashed the place hence the lyric about a shattered lamp.

Doherty then tackled the second verse. Saying that Barat was the instigator in this whole thing. ‘No you got it the wrong way round.’ It also highlights Doherty’s struggle with heroin ‘you shut me up and blamed it on the brown’
Both members take on the chorus, singing the lines ‘But oh, you can't stand me, no, you can't stand me now. You can't stand me, no, you can't stand me now’

At the time of this songs release the band was nearing breaking point and Doherty had failed to show to many of the bands shows struggling with personal issues including addiction. The song is almost a therapy session for both band members, they both make their feelings known. It was true at the time they couldn’t stand each other and they broke up some time after. The two front men and their fractious sometimes hostile relationship towards each other is what made the band great but also ultimately result in the downfall of The Libertines.

A rather sad outcome, The Libertines had created a buzz in the early 00s in England it seemed as if we had our answer to The Strokes. They had arrived in 2002 with one aim, to save British music! A buzz around the band was building, the NME put them on the cover before they had even released a single.  The Libertines were a band that we would never see the like of again.  'Can't Stand Me Now' was there crowning moment, as impactful as 'London Calling' or 'Supersonic' with two genius front men exchanging blow for blow.

Now however The Libertines are back still performing this song of course, it’s a classic but the band have another albums worth of songs and Pete and Carl’s relationship has improved. I suppose those Likely Lads did alright.