I had a completely different interpretation of this song. The verse about his friend coming to him he specifically says (in reference to his friend ) "here's what HE says to me: 'now you cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat on me' ". I don't think his friend was explaining that Richard's lover cheats on him, I think his friend was telling Richard that he knows Richard cheats on him. I think the song was about Richard being with someone who treated him badly while Richard himself was doing the same thing to his best friend. He says "here's what my friend tells me. Here's what he says to me". That would be an odd thing to say twice just to immediately shift the perspective as to who is talking and about whom. Just my take.
I had a completely different interpretation of this song. The verse about his friend coming to him he specifically says (in reference to his friend ) "here's what HE says to me: 'now you cheat, cheat, cheat, cheat on me' ". I don't think his friend was explaining that Richard's lover cheats on him, I think his friend was telling Richard that he knows Richard cheats on him. I think the song was about Richard being with someone who treated him badly while Richard himself was doing the same thing to his best friend. He says "here's what my friend tells me. Here's what he says to me". That would be an odd thing to say twice just to immediately shift the perspective as to who is talking and about whom. Just my take.