If You Found This It's Probably Too Late

It should be:

Under constant correction, a fraud, a fraud Someone's perception, trying not to bore I'm a cold-hearted kidder, applaud, applaud If you're the highest bidder, I'm yours

You figure out pathetic sets, we're not sure of the etiquette We think out pathetic sets, we're not sure of the etiquette

And if you found this it's probably too late Clinically cynical, hereditary hate If you found this it's probably too late Approching the pinnacle I'm running out of mates

If we concentrate on being off the cuff Not sure we're ready but probably rough Frightened that honesty isn't enough And it's nothing on the early stuff

And, as has been said, it's about the whole second album release.

"Under constant correction, a fraud, a fraud Someone's perception, trying not to bore"

The 'constant correction' may be people at the label or whatever saying "what about you try this?" or "nah, do this instead". But Arctic Monkeys are 'trying not to bore' everyone and do something different.

"If you found this it's probably too late Approching the pinnacle I'm running out of mates"

Maybe he's running out of mates due to the whole fame thing, and so by the time you've heard the song, it'll be too late to come back from it all.

"If we concentrate on being off the cuff Not sure we're ready but probably rough Frightened that honesty isn't enough And it's nothing on the early stuff"

Alex isn't "sure we're ready", since the second album was pretty soon after the first (Exactly 1 year after the Who the Fuck EP, actually). He's "frightened that honesty isn't enough", regarding the tabloids and rumours that the Monkeys aren't "the real deal" - he's been honest and told the truth, but people are looking into it more, because it "isn't enough".

He thinks people will say the new stuff is rubbish and "nothing on the early stuff" - a common phrase from music "fans" who don't like the new output of a band and say "the old stuff was better" etc. etc. Arctic Monkeys aren't suffering from the "Difficult Second Album" syndrome that hit Maximo Park, Hard-Fi, Editors, The Killers, The Rakes... I could go on (that's in my opinon, by the way ;) ).

In a vaguely related note, this song might have opened the album. I remeber in an interview somewhere, Matt aying they thought about opening the abum with something silly like strings coughthissong but they decided just to go the no-nonsense route and just start with Brianstorm instead.

i think its about a confession of anxiety regarding the release of the second album and the change of sound, wondered what others thought about it

hmm... I think the "frightened that honesty isn't enough" thing might be regarding to the music itself. Like, they're trying to be honest with their songs, doing what they feel like they should be doing, but they're scared people aren't gonna like that and don't want them to change musical directions. Just a thought.

amazing songg x

whoa intense. This song is like "hard" with the way Alex Turner sounds like he's yelling the lyrics out & the background music is pounding it out. Interesting. Hmm not sure if I can get what the lyrics mean now though maybe later on I might be able to drop some good thoughts.

I dunno,Maybe about their leaked songs. It goes along with the album name Leaked Again!

they weren't bothered that it leaked out

Incomplete lyrics!

First couplet reads;

Under constant correction, A fraud, A fraud, Someone's perception, trying not to bore Im a cold-hearted kidda, Applaud Applaud If you're the highest bidder, I'm yours

well it looks like insulting his own music, excusing himself, i have read that he used to think he was horrible at making lyrics, singing and he basically had to be forced to sing in the band because he was insecure about it.

but then again it seems like he's talking about critics or him being his own worse critic:

"Frightening honesty isn't enough" he talks about current criticism "it's nothing on the early stuff." as if saying their first few songs were shit or considered so.

i really am not sure lol.

I love love love this song. Intensity is almost frightening for a second.