"Unravel" Is A Song About The Unraveling And Gradual Loss Of A Relationship While One Partner Is Away. The Speaker's Heart Figuratively Comes Undone Like A Ball Of Yarn Slowly And Inevitably Unraveling. The Devil's Metaphorical Presence In The Song Suggests A Sense Of Malevolent Ownership Or Manipulation Over The Situation With The Devil Collecting Their Love Like A Ball Of Yarn That Will Never Be Returned. The Repeated Chorus Of "He'll Never Return It So When You Come Back We'll Have To Make New Love" Emphasizes The Finality And Irreversibility Of The Unraveling And The Need For The Couple To Move On And Create A New Love When They Are Reunited. Ultimately "Unravel" Speaks To The Kind Of Heartbreak And Loss That Can Occur When Distance Comes Between Two People And The Sense Of Helplessness That Can Be Felt In The Face Of That Loss.