This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
I called this number three times already today
But I, I got scared, I put it
Back in place, I put my phone back in place
I still don't know if I
Should have called up
Look, just tell me why don't ya if I'm out of place
'Cause here's your chance to make me feel awkward
And wish that I
Had never even called up this place
I saw you though, today, walk by with hippie Johnny
I had to call up and say how I want to take his place
So this phone call today concerns hippie Johnny
He's always stoned, he's never straight
I saw you today, you know, walk by with hippie Johnny
Look, I had to call up and say, I want to take his place
See he's stoned, hippie Johnny
Now get this, I'm straight and I want to take his place
Now look, I like him too, I like hippie Johnny
But I'm straight
And I want to take his
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm proud to say
Well I'm straight and I want to take his place
Now I've watched you walk around here
I've watched you meet
These boyfriends, I know, and you tell me how they're deep
Look but, if these guys, if they're really so great
Tell me, why can't they at least take this place
And take it straight, why always stoned
Like hippie Johnny is?
I'm straight and I want to take his place
Oh I'm certainly not stoned, like hippie Johnny is
I'm straight and I want to take his place
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm
I'm straight and I want
All right you Modern Lovers what do you say?
(I'm straight!)
Tell the world now
(I'm straight!)
I said
(I'm straight!)
Yeah, I'm straight and I want to take his place
But I, I got scared, I put it
Back in place, I put my phone back in place
I still don't know if I
Should have called up
Look, just tell me why don't ya if I'm out of place
'Cause here's your chance to make me feel awkward
And wish that I
Had never even called up this place
I saw you though, today, walk by with hippie Johnny
I had to call up and say how I want to take his place
So this phone call today concerns hippie Johnny
He's always stoned, he's never straight
I saw you today, you know, walk by with hippie Johnny
Look, I had to call up and say, I want to take his place
See he's stoned, hippie Johnny
Now get this, I'm straight and I want to take his place
Now look, I like him too, I like hippie Johnny
But I'm straight
And I want to take his
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm proud to say
Well I'm straight and I want to take his place
Now I've watched you walk around here
I've watched you meet
These boyfriends, I know, and you tell me how they're deep
Look but, if these guys, if they're really so great
Tell me, why can't they at least take this place
And take it straight, why always stoned
Like hippie Johnny is?
I'm straight and I want to take his place
Oh I'm certainly not stoned, like hippie Johnny is
I'm straight and I want to take his place
I said, I'm straight
I said, I'm straight
I'm
I'm straight and I want
All right you Modern Lovers what do you say?
(I'm straight!)
Tell the world now
(I'm straight!)
I said
(I'm straight!)
Yeah, I'm straight and I want to take his place
Lyrics submitted by jessieagogo
I'm Straight Lyrics as written by Jonathan Michael Richman
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
yea, upthera44, I agree. Apparently Hippie Johnny refers to on-and-off Modern Lovers guitarist John Felice. This message still stands true today. My mates are all clever but hide behind the fake auspices of shitly-mixed drugs at parties. "I'm proud to say I'M STRAIGHT!" - must have been a controversial thing just after the '60s. Also, a lot of (citation needed) people in the UK think that this song refers to JR's sexual orientation. Ahh, the Atlantic...
One comment! really, this is the greatest song, I actually keep it in my velvet underground playlist, b/c it reminds me so much of them. I could listen to this a million times
Ok, maybe I'm out on the deep end with this one but... Does anyone feel like this song could possibly be a sort of multiple personality type thing? Like, Hippy Johnny is actually the person singing, at least, another side of him. Therefore, the person who's "Straight" is the other side of him, and this side wants to "take the place" of "Hippy Johnny." I dunno, just a theory.
one of the best albums ever made
this song, ironically, is great to listened to while stoned/yayed out.
I've always thought "hippie Johnny" actually was John Lennon. And I want to take his place would basically mean "take his place at the top of the charts" or something. Give this idea a try and you may find this song even better!
"I'm Straight" refers to being sober from alcohol and drugs.The song is pretty clear. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_edge
please please go out with weirdo me, because I'm not on drugs. isn't that a good enough reason for you? that guy's neat, I guess, but like, he does drugs, so date me.
I really interpreted this as being a song about homosexual prostitution. A "straight" guy calls up a hooker he's seen recently, and had a very awkward and defensive conversation.