I don't think it's necessarily about her cheating on him. I think the girl was very withdrawn because she had a dark past watching her father be abusive and it's causing her to not believe in love. They broke up and he's trying to find any excuse to get back to her. "I'm standing in a room filled with older folks pleading baby listen" people who are older and 'wiser' than him are trying to give him advice on what to do but it isn't what he wants to hear "I scream as loud as anyone but when asked to make a point I tend to whisper" he doesn't know how to make a convincing enough point to them that he should I back to her. This is more of a representation of him not being able to convince himself. Then the song goes into the chorus about not being sure where to 'anchor' he's conflicted about this, and it also represents the girls conflict with being able to commit to love. He sarcastically recounts the girls abusive childhood memory and pleads with her to look past it and be with him. He says he's there to teach her what real love is. When she doesn't come through, the last part is about him trying to move past her. "If she seems as lonely as me let her sink" he's trying to forget about her "I'm writing the folks back home to tell them, hey I'm doing alright" this is going back to the people he asked for advice before, and he's telling them what happened and that he's finally getting over her.
Anyways, I know I'm about 7 years too late for anyone to read this, but I'm also younger than all you original The Format fans. I wish songs like this could get bigger because it's really brilliant.
Great analysis. I love If Work Permits, especially the transition from everything being depressing to the sudden "I'm doing alright" and the song gets all crazy. Nate's songwriting is beautiful and, in my opinion, was even better with The Format than it is with Fun. My favorite part of this song is "that wind that blows across your room
its gonna set the sails, and send me back to you." The whole album is heartbreaking but inspiring, and this is a great way to end it (besides The Lottery Song, bonus track). I write songs myself and I have been using...
Great analysis. I love If Work Permits, especially the transition from everything being depressing to the sudden "I'm doing alright" and the song gets all crazy. Nate's songwriting is beautiful and, in my opinion, was even better with The Format than it is with Fun. My favorite part of this song is "that wind that blows across your room
its gonna set the sails, and send me back to you." The whole album is heartbreaking but inspiring, and this is a great way to end it (besides The Lottery Song, bonus track). I write songs myself and I have been using Nate Ruess as inspiration...and a little bit of jealousy.
I am also getting into this band 7 years too late. I started listening to them last summer and I haven't been able to stop. It sucks because none of my friends know who they are and most of these comments are from many, many years ago so their songs are thought of as irrelevant. I'm glad to see there's another CURRENT The Format fan out there! :)
Thanks! I totally agree, The Format is better than Fun. Nate's lyrics seem more sincere and complex. I love analyzing song lyrics and his are some of my favorites.
Thanks! I totally agree, The Format is better than Fun. Nate's lyrics seem more sincere and complex. I love analyzing song lyrics and his are some of my favorites.
I don't think it's necessarily about her cheating on him. I think the girl was very withdrawn because she had a dark past watching her father be abusive and it's causing her to not believe in love. They broke up and he's trying to find any excuse to get back to her. "I'm standing in a room filled with older folks pleading baby listen" people who are older and 'wiser' than him are trying to give him advice on what to do but it isn't what he wants to hear "I scream as loud as anyone but when asked to make a point I tend to whisper" he doesn't know how to make a convincing enough point to them that he should I back to her. This is more of a representation of him not being able to convince himself. Then the song goes into the chorus about not being sure where to 'anchor' he's conflicted about this, and it also represents the girls conflict with being able to commit to love. He sarcastically recounts the girls abusive childhood memory and pleads with her to look past it and be with him. He says he's there to teach her what real love is. When she doesn't come through, the last part is about him trying to move past her. "If she seems as lonely as me let her sink" he's trying to forget about her "I'm writing the folks back home to tell them, hey I'm doing alright" this is going back to the people he asked for advice before, and he's telling them what happened and that he's finally getting over her.
Anyways, I know I'm about 7 years too late for anyone to read this, but I'm also younger than all you original The Format fans. I wish songs like this could get bigger because it's really brilliant.
Great analysis. I love If Work Permits, especially the transition from everything being depressing to the sudden "I'm doing alright" and the song gets all crazy. Nate's songwriting is beautiful and, in my opinion, was even better with The Format than it is with Fun. My favorite part of this song is "that wind that blows across your room its gonna set the sails, and send me back to you." The whole album is heartbreaking but inspiring, and this is a great way to end it (besides The Lottery Song, bonus track). I write songs myself and I have been using...
Great analysis. I love If Work Permits, especially the transition from everything being depressing to the sudden "I'm doing alright" and the song gets all crazy. Nate's songwriting is beautiful and, in my opinion, was even better with The Format than it is with Fun. My favorite part of this song is "that wind that blows across your room its gonna set the sails, and send me back to you." The whole album is heartbreaking but inspiring, and this is a great way to end it (besides The Lottery Song, bonus track). I write songs myself and I have been using Nate Ruess as inspiration...and a little bit of jealousy.
I am also getting into this band 7 years too late. I started listening to them last summer and I haven't been able to stop. It sucks because none of my friends know who they are and most of these comments are from many, many years ago so their songs are thought of as irrelevant. I'm glad to see there's another CURRENT The Format fan out there! :)
Thanks! I totally agree, The Format is better than Fun. Nate's lyrics seem more sincere and complex. I love analyzing song lyrics and his are some of my favorites.
Thanks! I totally agree, The Format is better than Fun. Nate's lyrics seem more sincere and complex. I love analyzing song lyrics and his are some of my favorites.