You've got to get better,
Said, it's all in your head,
We could live through these letters
Or forget it altogether,
See the months they don't matter
Its the days I can't take
When the hours move to minutes
And I'm seconds away,

Just ask the question come untie the knot
Say you won't care,
Say you won't care,
Retrace the steps, as if we forgot,
Say you won't care,
Say you won't care,
You try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing about

When all that we need is just a reaction,
Its too much to ask for when there's no attraction anymore,
Chasing our dreams is just a distraction
I want to remember what I know
That I can't go back,

Just ask the question, come untie the knot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
Retrace the steps as if we forgot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
You try to avoid it (try to avoid it)
But there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing about

Just ask the question (just ask the question)
Come untie the knot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
Retrace the steps (retrace the steps)
As if we forgot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
You try to avoid it (try to avoid it)
But there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing about



Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208

Track duration: 04:35

"New American Classic" as written by Matthew A./mascherino Rubano

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


New American Classic song meanings
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154 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song so much! I love pretty much everything they do. I think that the title of the song means that the new American way of thinking is that we wish that we could go back to so many things and untie the knot..rewind the hands of time. It is easy to live in the past. Great lyrics!
    Flag Poeticpunkon December 19, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To anyone who says any song sucks: If a song invokes ANY kind of emotional response, then that song has served it's purpose. THAT is the purpose of music, to invoke emotion. If it does that for just ONE person, then it was a success. What you think about the song or how (un)elaborately put together it is DOES NOT matter.
    Flag pixelcremeon December 11, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:In my opinion, this song can't just be thrown in the category of an ending relationship, because there's so much more to it. He's weighing the options of trying to relive everything they once had (live through these letters) or just forgetting everything that happened altogether. But in the end of the first verse, he confesses that he can't take the present knowing everything that's happened: "The months they don't matter, it's the days I can't take when the hours move to minutes and I'm seconds away." Also, that these feelings are constant, not just every once in a while, like every "month" or so, but every second really.
    In the chorus, it seems like he's wanting her to converse with him about the situation, and maybe "untie the knot", to fix things and confess of her feelings about the situation. The second half of the chorus really shows how helpless he is ("there's one thing I can nothing about"), and how bad he wants to "retrace the steps" of everything they once had. The only thing I'm slightly confused about is why the title is what it is. I don't understand that. BUT! That's about it. It's beautifully delivered, heartfelt song. Personally, it relates to me in the sense that we both had to grow up and live on different highways. This song speaks to me and often makes me wonder if it's possible for me to retrace the steps.
    Flag AnySecondNowon May 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:As everyone else has said, this song is probably about a relationship ending. I've read through so many comments on this song trying to figure out what it could really mean.

    It is about a relationship, someone who has left their boyfriend or girlfriend.

    "See the months they don't matter,
    it's the days I can't take
    when the hours move to minutes and I'm seconds away"

    This is after they've broken up, they can't imagine their life without them. They can't imagine how they can move through one more day without the person they love most in their life.

    "Say you won't care"

    That's when the person who has lost feels angry at the other or something to that effect. They need an excuse to be angry at them. To stop feeling like they're the one who messed up.

    "Say you won't care
    Retrace the steps
    as if we forgot
    ///
    there's one thing I can do nothing about"

    Then they start to feel guilty about everything they've ever done wrong in the relationship, whether it be having stupid feelings for someone else that only lasted a day, to anything else that could happen. They feel regret, they want to go back and fix everything, make it up somehow. They don't realize that the other person has their faults as well.

    "Come untie the knot"

    It means the knot in the stomach, everything they've felt, regret, pain, anger, sadness.. They need the other person to come fix everything and tell them everything will be okay.


    Unfortunately I know way too much about everything I've written. Whether that's the actual song meaning or not, that's how I interpret it. I've gone through so many break ups, so many heart breaks and this song I can relate to really well.

    I hope it made sense.
    Flag aries64xxon January 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought it was about the band getting in the way of a relationship so it ended. "If chasing our dreams is just a distraction" makes me think this.
    Flag TobyBartholomewon November 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of the most beautiful songs...ever.
    Flag ZebuCowon October 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"When all that we need, is just a reaction, it's too much to ask for, when there's no attraction anymore"

    I have been dating my boyfriend for two years and sometimes I get to thinking about it, and I wonder if I'm just dating him to get a reaction, like, "wow, you guys have been together so long!". usually i decide otherwise and i'm fine, but sometimes i wonder. which is a big part of why this song upsets me sometimes.

    anyway. everything else i think has been stated.
    Flag :Devon September 30, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song really got me through some really hard times that were going on in my life.. the part that I relate to is the first verse and the refrain.

    It was hard telling anyone what I was feeling or even just telling them what happened/went wrong so the part where it says "say you won't care, say you won't care" is exactly what I would think if I told someone..

    I love this song.
    Flag shake719on June 16, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:amazing song.
    Flag KokoBAMon June 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:His voice in this song sound's amazing. :D
    Flag sarebearexohon April 27, 2009   Link

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