Automatic Stop Lyrics
This song is about seeing a hollow relationship for what it is, and how that realization can be both deflating and also an epiphany of sorts. The train moving to fast thing means he was basically jumping to conclusions, he had built an image that wasn't true. He gets frustrated as the relationship falters but is somewhat relieved that the relationship never got anywhere, because he now sees her for how she really is-- "now I got a different view". In the end when he says "I'm not your friend, I never was", yes it is a bitter sendoff, but I don't think its just sex but rather unmet expectations-- he is working too hard and she doesn't care, and he finally realizes she isn't worth it. BUT WHO THE FUCK KNOWS?
that is exactly how i perceived the song too. great job!
that is exactly how i perceived the song too. great job!
I think some of you guys got it right. I think it's about some guy who was moving too fast in a relationship, he got caught up with some girl, and he thought the relationship was going fine, but she didn't care, and broke things off. After the breakup, he's coming to the realization that they weren't even friends, so he's like f*** it
@BoyWithTheArabStrap I’m reading this on the day it was posted…16 years ago :’)
@BoyWithTheArabStrap I’m reading this on the day it was posted…16 years ago :’)
No, never mind. It's just a love triangle.
Now, to set it up, there's 2 guys in a relationship with 1 girl, but it can't go any farther obviously if both of them are in it, so 1 guy has to go one way or the other.
The main character is split between 2 views. He is being pressured out of the relationship by external sources; he is being told that "It's just a phase", "Don't rush it (ie. train)". The other guy is also threatening him (ie. "He wanted me"). This also tells that the other guy will not back down. And another reason is that he is seeing that the girl is very stressed by this dilemma.
Now, wanting the best for her, he willingly gives into these external sources, he says Wat! and while he talks to her he thinks to himself "Alright, I'm going to let this whole thing go and relieve her of her stress" (ie. "I'm gonna give it a break"), he actually tells the girl that "I'm not your friend, I never was" in a pretty ugly breakup. He told her such a thing because he didn't want her to have to have any feelings for him lingering on while she will be with the other guy. And, he probably was so unwillingly angry because he because he was ashamed with his sympathetic nature, as he had to let her go for her own good.
Very bittersweet...or just an incorrect interpretation, but hey.
Omg you guys are so stupid. Seriously.
It's about a guy who's so over come with passion and curiousity of sex and unwilling to cling to anyone. Though his partners cling to him. His partners want something serious but he then states they never really knew eachother (I'm not your friend, I never was)
FYI: Sexuality isn't so black and white as you all are meant to believe. You never know who'd you fall for and the thing is you won't be able to do anything about it.
Sounds like youre actually the one who doesnt understand this song
Sounds like youre actually the one who doesnt understand this song
This one really hits pretty close to what I've been going through recently. I met this girl who was on a "break" who's had problems with her boyfriend for awhile. I got to know her, I fell for her hard and fast! (REBOUND for sure). She said all the same things that we liked each other, got along really well, had practically everything in common, especially the love for The Strokes and Julian Casablancas (I won't be surprised if she ever reads this). But now we're slipping because we hooked up way too quickly. And she wants to slow down and start being her friend. She's been talking to her ex again to be his "friend". She likes him as a friend but she doesn't know about love....I'm an idiot. This is when What Ever Happened? is in need for a good listen.
So many fish there in the sea I wanted you, you wanted me That's just a phase, it's got to pass I was a train moving too fast
(there's so many girls out there, we both said we wanted the same things, but she came out of a break up so obviously I wanted a girlfriend, but she just needed a friend. I pushed her away because i rushed everything with her. I'll get over her eventually)
Didn't understand what to see Yeah, then I got a different view It's you...no.
(I'm not understanding of her breakup, because its different from what we want, then what we actually need at the moment. She needs time to heal after her break up and I either need sex and comfort or I just need someone.)
Wait, I'm gonna give it a break. I'm not you friend, I never was. I said wait, I'm gonna give it a break. I'm not your friend, I never was.
(I wasn't her friend from the start, so I've gotta cut the communication between us before I hurt myself emotionally any furthur and I need to do this NOW. She's gonna leave but I want her to wait and STAY)
So many fish there in the sea She wanted him, he wanted me That's just a phase, it's got to pass I was a train moving too fast
(Her ex is back in the picture, I hooked up with her and everything while they were on a break. He wants to find me so he can beat me up probably.)
Yeah, I know you warned me But this is too important Now I got a different view It's you...
(She told me that she wanted to take it slow, but I'm impatient and I wanted results now. I needed the nut, and I needed a cuddle buddy, needed someone to SEEM to care for me, when in actuality I should have been there for her and nurtured her through her breakup but still giving her space. I STILL WANT HER! SHE IS THE ONE!)
Why can't you wait? I'm gonna give it a break I'm not you friend, I never was I said wait, I'm gonna give it a break I'm not you friend, I never was.
(Why can't she just be single and not talk to her ex. You can't be friends with your ex, that's impossible. She's probably trying to get back with him because she feels bad for hooking up with me while he was away. She doesn't want me now, but I need her now. So now it's my time to step away realize that I was never her friend and if she goes back to her boyfriend the friendship cannot continue because she has chosen him over me)
If someone actually reads this I'll be surprised.....sorry to vent, but it relates so well, even if that's not what the real meaning is. But that's my interpretation.
Just read this and can I say I think you're bang on!
Just read this and can I say I think you're bang on!
I take my hat off to you man, it took some balls to publicly post how you were (are) feeling.
I take my hat off to you man, it took some balls to publicly post how you were (are) feeling.
I hope it all worked out or if it didn't, I hope all is ok - there's an old Scottish saying; "What's for you won't go by you."
I hope it all worked out or if it didn't, I hope all is ok - there's an old Scottish saying; "What's for you won't go by you."
All the best,
All the best,
F
F
My situation isn't the exact same as yours, but I too am going through a breakup. I just need to let you know that I understand how much it sucks having a shared love for the Strokes with your ex. Their music is so powerful, it's hard to listen to after you break up. This song could be exactly what my ex is thinking right now actually... but life goes on. I know it's two years later for you but just had to let you know!
My situation isn't the exact same as yours, but I too am going through a breakup. I just need to let you know that I understand how much it sucks having a shared love for the Strokes with your ex. Their music is so powerful, it's hard to listen to after you break up. This song could be exactly what my ex is thinking right now actually... but life goes on. I know it's two years later for you but just had to let you know!
this is among the best songs ever made by the strokes, its catchy and relaxing, it's just great. i think it's about a guy wanting a girl but hes moving too fast and the guy says that he likes her but not as a friend but as a sex partner so he says im not your friend
Great Song! You can hear the Reggae influences in their second album. My personal reading of the song is that the he's looking for love in all the wrong places - he even jumps into homosexuality "he wanted me." He's so lonely, that if women won't give he thought that men would - "I was a train moving too fast" - Then his friends found out and were homophobic - "I'm not your friend, I never was" - They told him not to go to the Gay Bars in case he's found out - "I know you warned me" - but now he's got a "different view" about Gays - but he should stay a breeder simply because "there's plenty of fish in the sea" - this was just a "phase, it's got to pass" That's how I read it anyway!
You're the only one who got the song; everyone else is blind. "She wanted him, he wanted me That's just a phase, it's got to pass I was a train moving too fast." I made an account to tell you that by the way.
You're the only one who got the song; everyone else is blind. "She wanted him, he wanted me That's just a phase, it's got to pass I was a train moving too fast." I made an account to tell you that by the way.
I just had to make an account to tell you that's got to be incorrect. But who am I to tell you that you are wrong, of course. Music is like art. Music is art. It's like staring at an art piece and perceiving things differently. This all has to do with the way that you think.
I just had to make an account to tell you that's got to be incorrect. But who am I to tell you that you are wrong, of course. Music is like art. Music is art. It's like staring at an art piece and perceiving things differently. This all has to do with the way that you think.
But I honestly believe that you are looking into one line too much. "She wanted him, he wanted me" Although that line is what brought me to this site. I do agree that he may possibly have turned to homosexuality though. "That's just a phase, it's got...
But I honestly believe that you are looking into one line too much. "She wanted him, he wanted me" Although that line is what brought me to this site. I do agree that he may possibly have turned to homosexuality though. "That's just a phase, it's got to pass" However, I don't agree that the entire rest of the song is based on that. But who knows, other than Julian Casablancas himself :)
idk how to break it to you guys but "that's just a phase, it's got to pass" is what young people get told about their experiences of same-gender attraction and/or bisexuality and it does tie-in with the song pretty neatly, actually. "didn't understand what to see / then i got a different view / it's you" - the narrator never found his gender attractive ("what's there to see?") until he "got a different view" (met the guy) "i wanted you, you wanted me // she wanted him, he wanted me" doubles down on it and tells us that there's some kind of a love triangle going on with a girl being in love with the guy but him wanting the narrator. pretty straightforward. now, the rest is kinda open to interpretation, i personally think that "yeah i know you warned me / but this is too important" followed by the "different view" line is about the narrator having a realization about the nature (or the full scope, perhaps) of his feelings towards the guy and trying (and failing) to make him understand them, hence the "why can't you wait? i'm not gonna give it a break" ("he wanted me" but not in the relationships sense, you get what i mean? "you warned me" might also hint on some kind of a don't-catch-feelings-for-me arrangement or a similar difficult situation). finally, "i'm not your friend / i never was" might be both about the narrator and the guy never properly becoming friends per se and rather just developing this messy romantic relationships right from the start and the narrator rejecting the idea (presented by the guy himself or by a third party, doesn't matter) that they are/were "just friends". so yeah. a great quasi break up song
@solarantenna completely agree!
@solarantenna completely agree!
@solarantenna completely agree!
@solarantenna completely agree!
lurve triangle. traaaaaaaaaagic but beeeeeeautiful.
It's about wieghing it out. Being with someone vs. bieng alone.