Ten decisions shape your life,
you'll be aware of 5 about,
7 ways to go through school,
either you're noticed or left out,
7 ways to get ahead,
7 reasons to drop out,
when i said ' I can see me in your eyes',
you said 'I can see you in my bed',
that's not just friendship that's romance too,
you like music we can dance to,

Sit me down,
Shut me up,
i'll calm down,
and i'll get along with you,

There is a time when we all fail,
some people take it pretty well,
some take it all out on themselves,
some they just take it out on friends,
oh everybody plays the game,
and if you don't you're called insane,

Don't don't don't don't it's not safe no more,
i've got to see you one more time,
That"s when you were born,
in 1984,

Sit me down,
shut me up,
i'll calm down,
and i'll get along with you,

Everybody was well dressed,
and everybody was a mess,
6 things without fail you must do,
so that your woman loves just you,
oh all the girls played mental games,
and all the guys were dressed the same,

Why not try it all,
if you only remember it once,
oooh ooooooh,

Sit me down,
shut me up,
i'll calm down,
and i'll get along with you,

(okay one more time)



Lyrics submitted by purplehazereptilia, edited by Tinterpret

Track duration: 03:15


I'll Try Anything Once song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:#ITAO.
    Flag Jreece7on April 20, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:What i find the most amazing about this song that it creates images. When I'm listening to this song it feels just like in this simple song , not pompous at all there is everything what life's about. Though it's sad it makes a perfect 3,15 minutes when everything so messed up becomes clear. Couldn't be better
    Flag lennonnon February 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:As far as "don't don't don't - 1984" goes, if those few lines are a reference to the book then it makes some sense within that context. I dunno if you've read the book, but near the end of it "it's not safe no more" and "i've got to see you one more time" would certainly spring to the reader's mind. Poor Winston.

    I loved this song since the first note of it I heard. Was nice to hear it in the movie "Somewhere", it added a lot.
    Flag Sonorama21on November 29, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song reflects on life and all its incongruities and in fact, breaks life down to its smallest components- "10 decisions shape your life", "7 ways to get through school", etc...It's about someone who's seen a lot of life and thinks a lot about life. He's thinking about it so much that he wants someone to "sit him down" and "shut him up". And in the end that's all you really need to do in life- sit down, shut up, and try it all.

    It's such a beautiful song and Julian's voice is perfect :3
    Flag apresminuiton July 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:Okay, I found out the correct lyrics for "---- you were born in 1984." The correct lyrics are:

    That's when you were born in 1984

    He must have slurred these words together in the official recording, but Julian clearly pronounced those two words at a live concert. A video can be watched of him saying it on Youtube.

    youtube.com/…

    Skip to 1:24 if it does not do so automatically.
    Flag itsjaredson July 24, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:about the whole 1984 thing.....i don't it referes to any one person or that the song is necessarily dedicated to someone. i think that 1984 line might possibly be a reference to the book 1984. someone on youtube said that, and after they said it i agree with them. anyway.....the way i see it, this song is about LIFE- in general, and the differet parts of life. The 1st verse is about education- your early years, the second, talking about failure and everyone playing the game, is about (perhaps) work and career. or at least it can be realted to that. every one is so pressured to be successful and wealthy,, but no one's perfect- we all mess up at work some times, and struggle- but we continue in the rat race of work and economy b/c we need the money and we all have this drive to be successful, hence the "everybody plays the game, and if you don't you're called insane." the last verse is about perhaps about the social aspect of life- dating, relationships, relating to other people and forming friendships/bonds with those of your gender and those who are not. to me that verse is like observations noe might make from just spending time with people in a social setting. i think the few other parts ("when i said i can see me in your eyes...", "dont dont dont dont...", and the "why not try it all"....) to me those are things you might experience during each as[ect of life that's mentioned. the friendship-romance part sounds like a conversation b/w two young people, the 1984 verse could be maybe relating to how one might look to novels for life lessons (if the person i came across who suggested the 1984 part is about the book, is right), and the "why not try it all" part is about how we might not like everything in life but we shouldn't shut ourselves off from it oor others, we should try to experience as much as possible while we still have the time
    Flag atlantastrokesloveron June 28, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:It's also about how people react to certain situations

    "7 ways to go through school,
    either you're noticed or left out,
    7 ways to get ahead,
    7 reasons to drop out"


    Much of the song is also about the way society expects people to behave and how people react to that behaviour.

    "There is a time when we all fail,
    some people take it pretty well,
    some take it all out on themselves,
    some they just take it out on friends,
    oh everybody plays the game,
    and if you don't you're called insane"


    The only bit I can't figure out is...

    "Don't don't don't don't it's not safe no more,
    i've got to see you one more time,
    soon you were born,
    in 1984"

    I also think it's 'SON you were born...' rather than 'soon...'
    Great song though, probably my favourite Strokes song.
    Flag thediscobiscuiton June 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:oh everybody plays the game,
    and if you don't you're called insane, - woooh, if anyone's done acid they'll understand this lyric
    Flag hazoldon May 31, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Julian just put a live version of this song on a live EP, and I saw him play it @ First Avenue in Minneapolis (april sometime) when he was touring solo....
    Flag ryanalbertjohnomaron May 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:what's the deal with 1984?.. to who is this song dedicated to?
    Flag jayarsalon January 03, 2010   Link

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