Take it to Manhattan 'cause I don't want it.
Sell it to someone who can't live without it.
You made it for the masses, it passed unnoticed.
Dead somewhere in Kansas,
Now I've had it up to here with,
I've had enough of all of these songs
Of self-imposed unhappiness.

Say it for my self like I always wanted
Something to believe when you always doubted
That there was some logic, some line of reason
That brought us to this place,
But now I've had it up to here with,
I've, I've had enough of all of these
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness.
Oh.

Oh, oh now, oh now
I've had enough of all of these
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness.
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness.
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness.
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness.
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness. (you did this to yourself)
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness. (you did this to yourself)
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness. (you did, you did, you did)
Songs of self-imposed unhappiness.


Lyrics submitted by ellie117

Take It To Manhattan song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

14 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Given that Straylight Run abandoned their darker sound from their previous album I think this could be about themselves and moving in a new direction with their sound.

    aeternum valeon June 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about a certain Mic Swinger.

    pinklipglosson June 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Agreed with pinklipgloss, but I guess it's also a stab at overly emo bands where you can't even feel whether or not they're singing or writing it as what they actually feel or just doing it to sell records.

    moesixon June 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is amazing it's so powerful and the ending is awesome. I especially like the "you did this to yourself" part. It's such a true song because writing unhappy songs is just going to make you more unhappy and for no real reason whch is pretty selfish when there are people with real problems in the world.

    themiracleofseanon June 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    yeah, i agree with miracleofsean, and pinklipgloss. and the rest of you too, lol. definitely a stab at AL, lol. and also at the stereotypical emo bands out there who sit there and write songs about slitting wrists, being dumped, and hating rainbows and butterflies. and if you do constantly write songs full of hatred and unhappiness, you will get even more upset.

    i love sr.

    ellie117on July 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    good point pinklipgloss - i never thought of that. that definitely seems likely though.

    also, i think the last 8 (identical) lines could be a dig at TBS and how it seems that most of their songs have one line that is repeated ad nauseam (e.g. i've got it bad, i've got it bad, i've got it bad, i've got it bad, etc.etc.)

    speaking of ad nauseam, how about this straylight/tbs/brand new feud that's been compleeeeetley beaten into the ground? it's so old but still so captivating that people can never let it die haha.

    y0ung__aspiringon July 05, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Guess I agree with everything posted so far. In my opinion, Straylight Run should have dropped the whole TBS thing for their new album. That was at least 3-4 years ago and both John and Michelle paid enough attention to it on the first album.

    The song's point is clear and well made, but isn't this an unhappy song itself?

    This makes we wonder whether any (TBS) songs from 'Where you want to be' and/or 'Louder Now' refer to the Nolans. Can anyone help me out on this?

    Martinoson August 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    you realize that John Nolan was the writting force behind Taking Back Sunday first album right?

    the first album where it had the same line repeated over and over? :p

    mysleadon September 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah, I know. What I meant to say was that SR have paid lots and lots of attention to leaving TBS/the problems with Adam etc. And then my point was that SR really shouldn't have kept that grudge on their second album 'The needles the space', because everybody has been tired of hearing about it for a while now. Kind of shows just how 'emo' John Nolan can be :P.

    As for the TBS comeback song I was wondering about, I found 'Follow the format', which is an (in my opinion excellent) answer to SR's 'Another word for desperate'.

    PS I really like both bands, although 'guess-which-one' perhaps a bit more than 'guess-which-other-one'.

    Martinoson September 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love this song! hmm and i love straylight run & taking back sunday

    Kate[tcf]luv[tbs]on November 18, 2007   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.