Discover the story of the song > Skin Deep – The Stranglers

The song is telling the protagonist to be careful about people who may not be true friends, who might fake being close and caring. The protagonist is warned that some people might bring pain and make him sad sometimes, or even keep secrets and he should be cautious of those. The lyrics also remind the protagonist to stay strong and remember that time will help him heal, and that he should be aware of superficial friendships.