The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Once upon a time I thought
"What's the one thing I haven't got?"
There's not a single thing in this world I couldn't buy
That's when a gentleman caught my eye
Once or twice we went around
But now I'll tell you the thing I've found
You shouldn't make your move until you know the price
Because gentlemen aren't nice
Just because I won't agree to take his arm
And I occasionally forget his name
He likes to call inclemency what I call charm
But I know they're all the same
I think I've realized my first mistake
When he cried that his heart would break
I would have thought that I was worth the sacrifice
But gentlemen aren't nice
Just because I leave him all alone for days
And go about with others of his kind
He dares complain about my evil ways
And drive me out of my -- out of my mind
What I relate is hard to bear
I only endure it so that I might spare you ladies
I'm not known for my good advice
But gentlemen aren't
So agreeable
Love ain't a paradise
And if I told you once, I won't tell you twice
Gentlemen aren't nice
Gentlemen aren't nice
"What's the one thing I haven't got?"
There's not a single thing in this world I couldn't buy
That's when a gentleman caught my eye
Once or twice we went around
But now I'll tell you the thing I've found
You shouldn't make your move until you know the price
Because gentlemen aren't nice
Just because I won't agree to take his arm
And I occasionally forget his name
He likes to call inclemency what I call charm
But I know they're all the same
I think I've realized my first mistake
When he cried that his heart would break
I would have thought that I was worth the sacrifice
But gentlemen aren't nice
Just because I leave him all alone for days
And go about with others of his kind
He dares complain about my evil ways
And drive me out of my -- out of my mind
What I relate is hard to bear
I only endure it so that I might spare you ladies
I'm not known for my good advice
But gentlemen aren't
So agreeable
Love ain't a paradise
And if I told you once, I won't tell you twice
Gentlemen aren't nice
Gentlemen aren't nice
Lyrics submitted by misslucy
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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"
When We Were Young
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
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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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Perhaps its just a nice gender-role reversal. Sterotypically, (emphasis on this word, lads!) men are the ones who forget girlfriends' names and such, while the girls crawl after them. This is just a reversal we can laugh at.
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I think it was putting (stereotypically) male opinions into perspective. I think this was a greatly enjoyable song, and not to be taken too seriously.
I think that is the whole point. She is acting like a woman who treats her man very poorly, because it was written that way. She doesn't necessarily believe it.
Perhaps she is trying to make fun of women who complain about their man, when really, they should be complaining about themselves.
I find the "dramatic" almost Jazzy sound of the song cute.
I don't think shes trying to say "I treat men like shit" I think she's saying that the men she has been with are just too high maintenance for her and she ends up just getting annoyed with them. I believe the part where she said "just because I forget his name.." Shes saying that hes just like everybody else so she can't tell the difference.
thats what I get out of it, anyway.
Think about it, looks are deceiving. "Gentlemen Aren't Nice," just because a guy appears to be a kind, chivalrous gentleman, it doesn't mean he is. He seems nice, but deep inside he's a bastard. This man Emilie speaks of must not have been everything he seemed.
I dislike this song:( It is not because it is unusual to Emilie, I like all sorts of music, but she sings it so over the top and over dramatic... Meh. And the protagonist sounds like a bitch. I would understand the viewpoint if the "gentleman" in this song had been mean to her, but no, he has just fallen in love and she is being all sour and bitchy about it "oh no, somebody loves me" weep weep:(
it's a satirical song, it's not meant to be taken all seriously.
I agree with MoonChaser. I don't really think it's about men being too high maintenance, or about her being a bitch, I think she's making fun of stupid women.
I think this is about the Sarcasm about how girls hate guys and treating them like dirt. I love all of EA's songs, and this is one of my favorites, she has an amazing talent.
I agree with these opinions about the meaning of the song. The singer/narrator could be a persona of a cold, mean woman who treats men bad, i.e. the role reversal that Jemmargh is talking about, becuase usually its the other way around. It's definantly a satirical song with heavy sarcasm. I personally love the dramatics, I mean isn't that trademark what Emilie Autumn? Plus the ragtime/burlesque sound of it is to die for. :)
She's definately not being sarcastic. If you've listened to many of her other songs, especially those in the Jane Brooks project, she feels just about this way about men. Sure, it's probably exaggerated quite a bit, but I don't think she's trying to make fun of women who feel this way; she feels this way.
I absolutly love this song. My view on it is biting sarcasm and poking fun at women and their obliviousness to how ridiculous their complaints sound. I must admit, I sound like this sometimes :) Another great song from the lovely Miss Autumn.