Don't Be a Jerk, Jonny

Great song. Johnny sounds like a real bastard!

Jenny Lewis and Jonathan Rice?

i first assumed this was about a struggling relationship with jonny as a jerk boyfriend, but upon listening to it 1000 times, i now see it as about a protective older brother, jonny, worried about his young teenage sister who has fallen into the wrong crowd

when i saw these guys live, jonny pierce kept making a gesture to a pregnant stomach whilst singing. maybe the lyrics are indicating that a girl he is very much in love with has gotten pregnant with someone else? which could link with: 'it's out of love (no it's not)' as if to say that the baby wasn't for love, more lust?

"This next song is about a girl I really hate" He said last night onstage about this one. I think if it was about a sister he wouldn't still hate her in his 20's so it's more like an ex girlfriend and who knows, the pregnancy is a possible thing this girl had. It's about dead love to me and the flower analogy could represent her sleeping around (Flower represents virignity) oh my it could even be about his first love.

Jonny in the song is probably the lead singer Jonny pierce. I think this song is about how he's in a relationship with a girl not because he's in love with her but because he's trying to hide his sexuality and wants to leave her. In real life the lead singer is gay and this is a common method of hiding one's sexuality. However the issue is that the girl doesn't want the Jonny to leave so she says "don't be a jerk Jonny"and gets more and more desperate until Jonny says "believe in something you're full of horseshit" as a way of trying to get her to move on. Jonny starts to become bitter and dislike her because his attempts to leave her fail. Thus the line "you used to be so pretty but now you're just tragic". When someone uses the method of being in a heterosexual relationship to hide their sexuality they usually choose a person they admire. This explains why he compliments her several times despite also insulting her. Overall this song is just a situation so many closeted people get themselves into.