Fame < Infamy

finally a more correct one. gosh 'erotic in bed' ?! hahahas. thanks for submitting this!

In 2015, these lyrics in IoH are so Pete Wentz. He's gotten less risky with his words lately, but listening to this album again, I'm reminded how eloquent he is. I miss it sometimes. Maturity and risk tend to be inversely related.

2007 was the height of Pete Wentz: the emo leader, guyliner, drama king. This song is a narrative of what he feels and what he's experiencing.

"Alright in bed, but better with a pen" -- Pete is quite the writer, and this is him simply saying that, while people swoon over him, his real talent is a writer.

"Too much green to feel blue" -- FOB is making it, and Pete has plenty of money now. They're not struggling like before, so he's "happy" (he's saying that he should be -- whether he was is up for debate)

And the song title "Fame (is less than) Infamy." At this time in his life, Pete was pretty infamous for being dramatic, party boy, and, of course, the dick pic. Still, at the time, he was an attention whore, and didn't really care about what other people thought of him. Still, it's a lot of fame at once, and thus, unhealthy. He's bipolar and had troubles in the past, so it's a commentary on how fast his life is moving.

Another good title for this song is "A Day in the Life of Pete Wentz's Mind"

im a preacher, sweating in the pew for the salvation im bringing you im a salesman, im selling you hooks and plans; and myself, for making demands

when im home alone i just pace by myself and you pull my hips so close lying goes with the truth im signing off, im alright in bed but im better with a pen the king was alright, but it went to his head

if i am gods gift, what would he bless me with? search me without a conscience equipped im addicted to the way i feel when i think of you it's too much green to feel blue

when im home alone i just can't stop myself and you pull my hips so close lying goes with the truth im signing off, im alright in bed but im better with a pen the king was alright, but it went to his head

when im home alone i just can't stop myself and you pull my hips so close lying goes with the truth im signing off, im alright in bed but im better with a pen im alright in bed, but im better with a pen im alright in bed, but im better with a pen the king alright but it went to his head woaah-ooh oh oh oh.

such live without conscience equipped

i hear wit instead of live

When I'm home alone I just dance by myself And you pull my head so close volume with the truth signing off, I'm alright in bed, but I'm better with a pen The kid was alright, but it went to his head.

I am God's gift why would he bless me such wit* without conscience equipped

Thank gawd that someone posted the correct lyrics.
That always annoys me when people post the wrong ones because it seriously detracts from the meaning... Anyhow...

"I am preacher gift, sweating in the pews For the salvation, I'm bringing you."

[It's interesting that he used "preacher" here. He could've used anything else, but instead he uses "preacher". To me, this says that he's working for some greater cause; to save our souls. He's working hard for us, and yet, how do we repay him? With saying "you're not hardcore enough" etc. etc.]

"I'm a salesman I'm selling you hooks and plans and myself, making demands"

[Now, a salesman is usually pretty crooked. At least, that's what I think when I think of a salesman. He's trying to get us hooked, trying to give us these dreams, and then then he's turning around and "making demands". This, to me, says that he's not just trying to "save our souls" and be a holy preacher, he's also trying to make some money. I don't think this is a bad thing, it's life. You have to make money to live.]

"When I'm home alone I just dance by myself And you pull my head so close Volume goes with the truth signing off, I'm alright in bed, but I'm better with a pen The kid was alright, but it went to his head."

[Ok, this one is a little more difficult. When he's home by himself, and alone, without her around, he can just dance all alone. This suggests happiness in being lonely- not needing someone [her] to dance with. However, when she's there, and "pulling his head close" I guess you could say, he needs her more than anything. He doesn't want to be alone. "Volume goes with the truth"... I'm not really sure about this line, but I think it has something to do with the truth being drowned out. [?] But it says that the volume goes WITH the truth... so I'm really not so sure.

Then next lines, I love. It's saying that he can't really be a super hott porn star between the sheets, but he likes to think he is. However, he admits to himself that he's better with a pen, and the "signing off" part suggests some sort of cybersex, and that he can write all this stuff down, but when it comes down to the real deal, he can't live up to it.]

"I am God's gift Why would he bless me with such wit Without a conscience equipped I'm addicted to the way I feel when I think of you 'There's too much green To feel blue' When I'm home alone I just can't stop myself"

[Now, the thing that I really find interesting about this album is the use of twisted colloquialisms. Here, he uses the old colloquialism "God's greatest gift to _____" and twists it to his meaning. I think it's interesting that he uses so many of them in this album, and I ask myself why he would do it?

Anyhow, getting back on track...

So here he's feeling like he's all that and a bag of chips, and he thinks he's especially witty. I think this is quite true, although some may argue that case. However, he feels like he doesn't have a conscience... Like he does all these horrible things. I think this is a very common theme throughout this album- the feeling of doing something wrong, and never being perfect enough, no matter how great you think you are.

He can't stop thinking of this girl, but he realizes that it's not the GIRL herself that he's addicted to, but the way he FEELS when he THINKS about her. It's the thought and memories of her, not her herself. I think that this is a very tragic realization. Sort of an admittance that real life is not as great as you wish it would be, and the feeling that real life really doesn't have all that much to offer you anymore. You're tired of it.

The color green, here means life. Trees, plants- basically when you see a lot of green you don't think "dead". Now, this is also another colloquialism that he twists. The whole thing about "feeling blue". He feels depressed, and yet he sees all the life around him. However, he's in a deep depression, and can't seem to snap out of it, even though he knows there's no logical reason for him to be in it.

The last line it very... confusing. He can't stop himself from what? From calling [her]? From self medicating, perhaps? I think that he can't stop himself from either doing something to perpetuate this depression, or that he can't stop himself from doing something harmful in an attempt to cope with his depression.]

Now let's look at the title...

"Fame < Infamy"

[Read out loud it read "Fame is less than Infamy". Infamy, of course, is a sort of fame that is gained from doing something bad, not good. Take Britney Spears for example. She is on the covers of all the tabloids now, but not for good reasons, or because he album is doing well. That is infamy.

So here he's saying that fame [doing good things and getting recognized for them] is not as powerful, or as great, as infamy [doing bad things and getting recognized for them]. I think it's a pretty true fact. People that are in the midst of huge scandals are usually more famous than those who just put out a great record.

And the way he says it, in the form of a mathematical equation, makes you think that it's not just an opinion, but it is a FACT. That this will ALWAYS be less than this, and this will ALWAYS be greater than this. That's just the way it is, just as 1+1 will always =2.]

Thank God Someone Knows what they are talking I think [Skettio ] has wrote my thoughts exactly.

However...

"Signing off I'm alright in bed But, I'm better with a pen The kid was alright but it went to his head"

I'm not sure if any of you as much as I do but anyone could relate that you are your own worst critic especially when it comes to writing so I could relate to this song greatly.

& many write in beds because the best ideas come from dreams or thoughts before[or] after falling asleep.

& I'm not sure if anyone notices this but doesn't he song like he's talking as if he was on a computer like writing a journal update?

Haha I'm gunna stop talking now :D

volume goes with the truth means that the volume is so loud, you'll believe anything.

the first time, i'm fairly sure he says, "when i'm home alone, i just dance by myself."

When im home alone i just dance all by myslef And you pull my head so close seriously look in the cd booklet