This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I wanna be forgotten
And I don't want to be reminded
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
I wanna be beside her
She wanna be admired
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
Oh dear, is it really all true?
Did they offend us and they want it to sound new?
Top ten ideas for countdown shows
Whose culture is this and does anybody know?
I wait and tell myself, life ain't chess
But no one comes in
And yes, you're alone
You don't miss me, I know
Oh Tennessee, what did you write?
I come together in the middle of the night
Oh, that's an ending that I can't write
'Cause I've got you to let me down
I wanna be forgotten
And I don't want to be reminded
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
I wanna be beside her
She wanna be admired
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
And I don't want to be reminded
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
I wanna be beside her
She wanna be admired
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
Oh dear, is it really all true?
Did they offend us and they want it to sound new?
Top ten ideas for countdown shows
Whose culture is this and does anybody know?
I wait and tell myself, life ain't chess
But no one comes in
And yes, you're alone
You don't miss me, I know
Oh Tennessee, what did you write?
I come together in the middle of the night
Oh, that's an ending that I can't write
'Cause I've got you to let me down
I wanna be forgotten
And I don't want to be reminded
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
I wanna be beside her
She wanna be admired
You say, "Please don't make this harder"
No, I won't yet
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
The line "Oh Tennessee, what did you write?" is definitely referring to Tennessee Williams and, more specifically, to his play 'The Night of the Iguana'
In the next line ("I come together in the middle of the night"), Julian is comparing himself to the character Lawrence Shannon, a shamed priest. After Lawrence suffers a nervous breakdown, Hannah comes to his aid and offers him advice in the middle of the night.
The next two lines ("But that's an ending that I can't write cos I've got you to let me down") are a reference to the end of the play where Lawrence tears the cross from his neck, metaphorically freeing himself of the ties of the church that have caused him so much stress. The fact that Julian "can't write" that ending shows that he is unable to free himself from what it is that is stressing him out (which, given the context of the rest of the song, is probably a recently ended relationship).
Also, at the end of the play, Hannah leaves the hotel at which they are both staying. Effectively walking away from her last opportunity to settle down with someone. I think line "That's an ending that I can't write cos I've got you to let me down" refers to this also. He's basically saying that Lawrence has the opportunity to forget what could have been because the object of his affections has left, whereas Julian is suggesting that he doesn't have this opportunity, possibly because he will see or hear from his ex quite regularly.
are you sure it's not referring to A Streetcar Named Desire? Marlon Brando's character screaming for Stella in the middle of the night?
To me, its pretty much about how he's feeling after breaking up. The fourth verse really throws me off though. I'm assuming its in reference to Tennessee Williams, author of the play, A Streetcar Named Desire. Whether or not I understand the connection or not, my favorite verse of the song and the part that really made this song one of my favorites off the album.
Oh dear, is it really all true? Did they offend us and they want it to sound new? Top ten ideas for countdown shows... Whose culture is this and does anybody know?
that's gotta be about the dreaded "Second Album Blues" (want it to sound new) that many bands face after releasing a debut that is hyped up and hailed as one of the best recordings ever. happened to these guys, happened to the vines, and its gonna happen to jet eventually, when they can be fucked writing another album instead of taking speed and stealing ac/dc riffs.
I'm more akin to agree that this song is about the Second Album Blues and that "she" is a metaphor for the media, the fans, the critics and other bands. Great song to start a second album with!
Are these lyrics from the CD insert? I'm not hearing some of this stuff.
Tennessee certainly references T. Williams, the playwrite. I looked up plays by him containing "come together" but I didn't find much.
"Oh dear is it really all true? Did they offend us and they want it to sound new?"
Julian may not be the new Morrissey, but he can write some brilliant stuff. It sticks in your head, and you end up writing the line on a desk in math class just to share how good that line is. Well, for me anyway. I figured out how to play the solo today, it kicks ass...
this is a wonderfully written song, as basically all strokes songs are. even if they aren't immediately catchy hits, they are ALL well-written & performed. these guys are all really talented & all their songs have something to say. isn't that what being a creative musician is all about? commenting about anything & everything that means anything to you? evil critics need to just shup up. true music fans will listen to these songs & get something out of all of them. i'll say it again: i have not heard a crappy strokes song yet & i am someone who really LISTENS to music. and thanks to everyone here who posts their thoughts because it helps me too. i love this band!!!
QUOTE: by terri kaye on 08-15-2006 @ 01:48:38 PM
" evil critics need to just shup up. true music fans will listen to these songs & get something out of all of them. i'll say it again: i have not heard a crappy strokes song yet & i am someone who really LISTENS to music. and thanks to everyone here who posts their thoughts because it helps me too. i love this band!!! "
CHEERS to you!! I totally agree with you.. seems like every Strokes song page you read there has to be at least one person who puts them down. Why do you guys do that??? I mean I really can't understand why there's so many people who go "Huh the Strokes? i think i've heard of them"... "or those guys? i think they're weird" and the most hated comment: "i used to like them but now they've changed".
People don't stay 20 or single or say, sad/happy forever!!! People should be happy that there's a band out there who actually puts in hours of hard work for the money they make They don't get payed like some other "artists" for writing like 20 songs about bullets and blood (no offence to emo fans, actually sometimes i listen to MCR but for their guitar lol), or cuz they look good on those junky teen magazines, you get the drift....
If you really listen to their music and even to their few lowlites (e.g. killing lies) you will see that compared to other people... these guys are "the artists". Their music follows musical theory/rules, all of their lyrics are genius poetry, and Jules' vocals... well his voice never gets annoying, and do you know anyone who sounds as real as him live??? I think he might be one of the best original singers right now... (...sigh r.i.p. K. Cobain). Sometimes I think that it's ok that they're not getting the mainstream recognition of say RHChili Peppers or even Coldplay. Cuz you know the commercial success will eventually hit you in the head... but i think their commercial success is finally coming... Probably for sure after their fourth album (if nothing goes wrong). This song "What Ever Happened?" is featured on the "Marie Antionette" Kirsten Dunst movie. Also, they wear chuck taylors under their dresses. (cool). Apparently the director's a fan. i think "Fear of Sleep" is also featured on some movie?? I'm not sure...
uuhhh... i should be heading to class... i was supposed to add my interpretation of this song but got distracted by the idea of Strokes putdowners... well you have to accept the fact that we're 6B people and we're all bound to love stuff hate stuff... !!!! But you can't deny that The Strokes have revitalized rock!!!!
i really hope they don't get too much commercial success. i don't mean that in a bad way- i absolutely adore the strokes- i just think that if they started to get their songs played too much on mainstream radio, they might lose a little credibility. besides, for them, commercial success and making money is not why they do what they do. for them it's about the music- expressing themselves creatively so other people can listen to what they have to say. jules said that the whole point of "is this it" was to create an album that was "really cool and non-mainstream". i know this song isn't from "is this it", but, you know, you get my drift :)<br /> <br /> ps. i love killing lies. i think fifteen minutes was more of a lowlight. but you're right, it's still great.
I first heard this song on the Marie Antoinette commercial and the song is honestly half of what makes me want to see the movie it sounds so good! I did not know it was by the strokes and when I looked it up i was excited to see that it was. it fits awesome on the commercial!
my thoughts on the meaning: i can really see how the "media" theme fits on the oh dear is it.... part, but the first two verses are the ones that remind me all too well of a point in life, perhaps a breakup, that you just want to put behind you and not think about.
when he's live he says "i wanna be inside her" (6)