Him by Rupert Holmes

Album: Partners In Crime (1979)

Charted: 31 6

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Songfacts®:

Rupert Holmes is best known for his hit "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)," which is about a married guy who takes out a personal ad only to have his wife answer it. His next single was "Him," which also deals with cheating; the guy in the song knows his girl has a guy on the side, and he can't stand it. "It's me or him," he tells her.

Like "Escape," Holmes wrote the song from the perspective of a character he created.
Holmes' 1980 album Adventure contained the track "I Don't Need You," which follows the character in this song.

Comments: 12

Seventh Mist from 7th HeavenGary: Well, I always figured he knew “who left those smokes behind” was a romantic rival; he just didn’t know exactly who that rival is, yet.
Dono from EarthWhen he says me-me me that is Mahnewtoew eh
Gary From Nj from Lindenwold, NjThere seems to be a contradiction in the lyrics.

First verse line:
"I know who left those smokes behind."

Second verse starts:
"Don't know what he looks like.
Don't know who he is..."

If he knows who left the cigarettes, he obviously knows who he is and what he looks like.
Jade from Los AngelesThen what does this mean?

If she wants him, she can have him
Just exactly how we once were
It's goodbye to he and I
And back to me and her
Without him...

Made me think the men were friends but earlier he says 'Don't know what he looks like' So is he saying he got HER by cheating?
Tania from Brisbane, AustraliaOne look at the lyrics, or heck even listen to the song, and you know straight away it’s about her cheating on her partner!
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 19, 1980, Rupert Holmes performed "Him" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
At the time "Him" was in it's first week on Billboard's Top 100 chart at position #72, ten weeks later it would peak at #6 {for 2 weeks} and it spent seventeen weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #4 on both the Billboard and Canadian Adult Contemporary Tracks charts...
Between 1978 and 1981 the Englishman had six records on the Top 100 chart, two made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)", for two weeks on December 16th, 1979...
He charted two more times on the Top 100 as a member of the Street People, "Jennifer Tomkins" {#36 in 1970} and "Thank You Girl" {#96, also in 1970}...
Mr. Holmes, born David Goldstein, will celebrate his 71st birthday next month on February 24th {2018}.
Greg from Durham, NcThis is about an affair, plain and simple.
Tony from San DiegoHow the heck can anyone EVER think this is about a menage a trois ? He clearly states "Don't know what he looks like, don't know who he is". End of story.
Yakofujimato from Boston, MaThis is NOT about a menage a trois. Ron has it right. The narrator's lady is double dipping and he is giving her an ultimatum.
Joe from New Richmond, WiI totally agree with Ron, it's not a menage a trois, based on the line "...three is one too many of us..."
Ron from New Harmony, UtI don't know if I agree with the analysis above about this song being about a "menage a trois". The lyrics suggest his lady is seeing someone else and he is aware of it. He is confronting her about the other man and asking her to make a choice between the two of them and letting her know that if she doesn't choose, he's out of there.
James from Yucaipa, CaThis is one of my all time favorite songs.I remember it well in 1980.Rupert holmes is a great songwriter/musician.7/21/08