Fountains of Wayne – Stacy's Mom

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  Song Meaning:Disappointing how little respect this song gets. People reacting to the old pop play it got, and because they take it at face value. Don't take any FoW songs at face value! This is not a "your mom's hot" song; it's a "I've got problems" song.
  
  It begins like a mantra, obsessively: "Stacy's mom has got it goin' on", over and over.
  
  In the first verse, the narrator starts off innocuously enough, but his intent (as he soon clumsily betrays) is manipulation. He is forward with Stacy in an attempt to get over to her house, "smoothly" inserting his real intent ("Did your mom get back from her business trip?") before dropping the first, uh, uncomfortable moment: "Is she there or is she trying to give me the slip?" The mom is on a business trip; there's no reason to believe she would be trying to "give the slip" to her teenage beau. (And even if she were, the narrator seems to have no problem disrespect that wish.)
  
  The pre-chorus "I'm not the little boy I used to be" indicates some background: the narrator likely has a long-term history with Stacy and her family, from when he was a "little boy". Sounds like he's developed some sort of attachment from afar. He uses the childish self-assertion of maturity to assure that he's "grown-up" enough to be a suitable mate for Stacy's mom, even in the face of adversity. (Seeing "adversity" in every aspect of life strikes me, personally, as a very "teenage" and immature mindset. "I know it might be wrong but" would win no points for me.)
  
  The next verse is really the narrator making a case for why Stacy's mom, in his mind, is mutually returning his interest. He's out there, mowing the lawn, the mom comes out (in admittedly compromising attire) and suddenly he's on cloud 9 because she seems to be really studying him. Then she says, "You missed a spot over there." For any normal person, this would be the realization that they're being silly. She wasn't "staring" at him. She was noticing a patch of grass that he missed and bringing it to his attention. And still, this is the "reason" why he can "tell she liked [him]".
  
  Finally we get to the big, albeit subtle, reveal: "I know that you think it's just a fantasy / but since your dad walked out your mom could use a guy like me". There we have it! The event! His half-assed acknowledgement that this must appear to other people as a fantasy, but in actuality, he intends to fill the role left empty by the absence of Stacy's father.
  
  This happened early, it would seem, and likely the impetus for the narrator's obsessive attachment to Stacy's family. He's clearly had an adoring relationship with her family since he was a boy, and I submit that, in the wake of the father's retreat -- he constructed a sexualized, fantasy scenario wherein he saves the family (the mom, specifically) from this betrayal.
  
  That final reveal builds in a discordant crescendo and ... then silence. It drops flat. The narrator is too far lost in his reverie, however, and, the secret out, he explodes into the final chorus of declarations of his intent; manic, obsessive declaration of his love; and unanswered assertions that, sorry Stacy, even though (as he seems to indicate) you love me, I'm tied inextricably to your mother.
  
  The narrator is nuts. He's living in a potentially dangerous, neurotic, fantasy world. This song, like the rest of the album, exists within this veil of suburban mundanity and, as such, sounds light-hearted and harmless. The whole thing is much darker than it seems, and you're stunting your appreciation of this art if you don't read between the lines!

  Flag Dabizion April 10, 2013   Link

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  General Comment:I hate this song so much. It really contradicts the whole feel of this album. I have to skip it when I get to it, it's just so bad.
  
  That said, I think it's about early adolescent fantasies, when we're just beginning to explore the adult world and its facets.
  
  Pretty straightforward, really.

  Flag luke32113on November 09, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Listening to this song makes us think about specific friends whose mother we had the hots for at one point in our lives.

  Flag harderman61on October 11, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:oh man this song is such a cougar song... thats why its mine and my girls song. probably one of my fav songs by them
  
  

  Flag mikeal500on May 01, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Classic.

  Flag HelpYourselfon April 06, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Does ANYONE actually know any deeper meaning to this song!?
  It's a good song though ^^

  Flag xloudiaon March 29, 2010   Link

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  My Opinion:What is wrong with you guys? "BAH, I HATE ANYTHING THAT'S POPULAR". I listen to Fountains of Wayne's other stuff and I still thing this is a great song. The video is hilarious. It's a catchy pop-single. Jeez.

  Flag MoogleDron August 24, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:The video makes me laugh, because Stacy is hotter than her mum.

  Flag JimJamJaharon August 09, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:lol at leyla ann. Gee, I wonder what this song is about...

  Flag fueledbytomothyon August 08, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:There was a girl I know that I was in a class with. It was an extra program thing and she was 6th grade and I was 8th. All the 6th graders were to shy/quiet to say anything, so I took it upon myself to be the comic relief. I go. "Annie, your mom is hot." Then started singing, Annie's mom has got it going on. I'd never even met her mom before. Then I met her mom and she really was hot. Haha.

  Flag Rockstar729on June 30, 2008   Link

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