I got troubled thoughts
And the self-esteem to match
What a catch, what a catch
Whoa

You'll never catch us
So just let me be
Said I'll be fine
'Till the hospital or American Embassy
Miss Flack said I still want you back
Yeah, Miss Flack said I still want you back

[Chorus]
I got troubled thoughts
And the self-esteem to match
What a catch, what a catch
And all I can think of
Is the way I'm the one
Who charmed the one
Who gave up on you
Who gave up on you

They say the captain
Goes down with the ship
So, when the world ends
Will God go down with it?
Miss Flack said I still want you back
Yeah, Miss Flack said I still want you back

[Chorus]

What a catch
What a catch
What a catch
What a catch

I will never end up like him
Behind my back, I already am
Keep a calendar
This way you will always know

[Chorus]

Where is your boy tonight?
I hope he is a gentleman
Maybe he won't find out what I know
You were the last good thing
We're going down, down in an earlier round
And sugar, we're goin' down swinging
Dance, dance, we're falling apart to halftime
Dance, dance, and these are the lives you'd love to lead
Dance, this is the way they'd love
If they knew how misery loved me
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamn arms race
This ain't a scene, it's a goddamn arms race
One night and one more time
Thanks for the memories
Even though they weren't so great
He tastes like you, only sweeter
Growing up, growing up

I got troubled thoughts
And the self-esteem to match
What a catch, what a catch



Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes

Track duration: 04:57

"What a Catch, Donnie" as written by Peter Wentz, Patrick Stump, Joseph Trohman, Andrew Hurley

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


What a Catch, Donnie song meanings
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151 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I believe this song is about the movie Donnie Darko. The lyrics correspond with what Donnie has to go through in the movie and what happens. If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend you watch the movie and see what I'm talking about.
    Flag MoiKoi777on June 15, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Going back to what earlynovrock (page 1) said, I think if it is related to that, I see it as a few of the members of Fall Out Boy being happy with what they are now and satisfied with how far they come and a crucial opposing force that was supposed to be on their side, whether it be someone else in the band or the fans would rather them go back to who they were when they began. How because of the fact that they're being criticized for doing what they want to do and making the music they want as opposed to everyone else falling in love with what they were when they first started listening to the band. Which, inevitably lead to the hiatus. I think it makes sense.
    Flag Molz017on October 29, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Pete Wentz has said that this song is supposed to be from Patrick's perspective. Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack were famous for their duets, like "Where Is The Love". But, Donny was also a schizophrenic and his committed suicide. Pete has also suffered from suicidal thoughts, and an attempt not too long ago. I believe this song is him telling his best friend, that he's sorry and that he's never going to do it again. He is also trying to remind Patrick how brilliant he is, and what a catch he really is despite his self esteem issues.

    I think Pete wrote in the parts of older Fall Out Boy hits to remind Patrick of all the wonderful things he has done musically. I also think he had all the singers of other bands sing them, because Patrick had produced and help most of those bands get where they are now.

    Although, Headfirst Slide isn't necessarily a big Fall Out Boy hit, the lyrics, "I will never end up like him. Behind my back, I already am." are Pete's way of saying that he won't be like Donny Hathaway. He won't give up on himself. He won't give up on Patrick. He won't give up on their friendship or the band itself.


    Flag tessamariewason August 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about Pete, who struggled with a drug addiction and suicidal thoughts for a long time - resulting in an attempted suicide. Hence, "I've got troubled thoughts and the self-esteem to match."

    "What a catch" actually refers to his luck in sarcasm. How lucky am I to be clinically depressed?

    "Ms. Flack" and "Donny" do refer to Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. But the reference is more to Donny's clinical depression and paranoia that people were out to "get" him, hence "You'll never catch us, so just let me be." He killed himself in the late 70's, thrusting himself out of a window - I do believe. This song was Pete's promise to the band and to his fans that he would never let his depression overcome him, but he didn't realize that it already had. Hence, "I will never end up like him, behind my back I already am." But "Keep a calendar, this way you will always know." Symbolizes that he would never try to commit suicide again.

    Moreover, "All I can think of is the way I'm the one who charmed the one who gave up on you." I think signifies a conversation with himself and how he's haunted by the fact that he got to a point of depression where he had given up on all that he worked to create - which leads into the end where portions of their past songs are being sang by other musicians, which are actually friends of theirs.

    The quoting of the songs, I think, is to show how much he had to live for and how - looking back on his life - they've done so much together.
    Flag lazyhappyluckyon April 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about Pete, who struggled with a drug addiction and suicidal thoughts for a long time - resulting in an attempted suicide. Hence, "I've got troubled thoughts and the self-esteem to match."

    "What a catch" actually refers to his luck in sarcasm. How lucky am I to be clinically depressed?

    "Ms. Flack" and "Donny" do refer to Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. But the reference is more to Donny's clinical depression and paranoia that people were out to "get" him, hence "You'll never catch us, so just let me be." He killed himself in the late 70's, thrusting himself out of a window - I do believe. This song was Pete's promise to the band and to his fans that he would never let his depression overcome him, but he didn't realize that it already had. Hence, "I will never end up like him, behind my back I already am." But "Keep a calendar, this way you will always know." Symbolizes that he would never try to commit suicide again.

    Moreover, "All I can think of is the way I'm the one who charmed the one who gave up on you." I think signifies a conversation with himself and how he's haunted by the fact that he got to a point of depression where he had given up on all that he worked to create - which leads into the end where portions of their past songs are being sang by other musicians, which are actually friends of theirs.

    The quoting of the songs, I think, is to show how much he had to live for and how - looking back on his life - they've done so much together.
    Flag lazyhappyluckyon April 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:youtube.com/…

    In this concert footage Wentz explains it's about someone who doesn't realize how great he is (what a great catch he is.)
    Flag londonmabelon November 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is amazinqq.!
    my boyfriend showed this song to me and he likes this song so much he said that he wants this song played at his funeral when he dies.
    Flag xxlindsayxx817on October 07, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ooh god sorry I don't mean to be spamming, I just unlocked the way the lyrics work. Some parts are there just to sound like a pop love song, but some of the words are really what FOB are trying to tell us.

    I got troubled thoughts
    And the self-esteem to match
    What a catch, what a catch
    This is true

    You'll never catch us
    So just let me be
    Said I'll be fine
    Until the hospital or American Embassy
    True

    Miss Flack said I still want you back
    Yeah, Miss Flack said I still want you back
    Just added in to sound like theyare talking about a lost love

    I got troubled thoughts
    And the self-esteem to match
    What a catch, what a catch
    True

    And all I can think of
    Is the way I'm the one
    Who charmed the one
    Who gave up on you
    Who gave up on you
    For the pop song

    They say the captain
    Goes down with the ship
    So, when the world ends
    Will God go down with it?
    True

    Miss Flack said I still want you back
    Yeah, Miss Flack said I still want you back
    Pop song

    Ok now it all mixes into each other and you hear the other artists singng phrases. The whole debate about who Donnie and Miss Flack is, is just trying to throw you off track again. I think it's just there to confuse.
    Flag MsUnsolvedMysteryon August 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's also why they sound different live, a lot of this stuff is edited on a computer, giving it the commercial feeling. To really enjoy FOB you need to hear them live, then you really know who they are.
    Flag MsUnsolvedMysteryon August 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Woah I think I just discovred why Fall Out Boy did a song like this Of course it's very different from their other songs and it reminds me of some heartbroken male pop artist. This makes sense since Fall Out Boy's intention is to be very different while blending into the commercial scene, you need to unravel what their real objectives are. So with this song they have just reconstructed and deconstructed the 'heartbroken male pop artist' song. They have extended the usual length and the lyrics actually mean nothing, FOB are just trying to prove that these songs are designed to make you like them even though you have no idea why you like it. So FOB's words in this song are pretty much gibberish and throws you off track. The lyrics don't match up with this type of song. They sound sarcastic, this would work with a similar atmosphere to 'West Side Smoker'. All the classic signs of a 'heartbroken male pop artist' are in this song but again it's been twisted and changed, yet it is still recognisable as this type of song. Quiet beginning, with pianos, dragging of voice to do oooooooo sounds, repitition of 'back, back, back', chorus of people singing simply words e.g. 'lalalaalalalalalalalalala' etc. But thn it changes, at about 3:30 you assume the song is ending soon, and would possiblynot have noticed the tributes by other artists. But then it actually still carries on and we hear a lot of FOB phrases said by similar bands. This wouldn't have happened in a usual 'heartbroken male pop artist' song, and the point of the other singers on this song is to basically say to us 'look these are the other artists secretly trying to outdo commercial music from right under their noses'. So this song is basically an illustration of how FOB makes fun of the media, there are plenty more obvious examples of this in other songs.

    I hope that made sense, it made sense to me lol
    Flag MsUnsolvedMysteryon August 26, 2010   Link

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