| fun. – Some Nights Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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I don't mean to sound condescending, but if you think that this song is literally about war, you have completely missed the mark. Look up The Format, read about how they got started, their progression, and their demise, and you'll understand a lot better. Nate Ruess is traditionally an extremely personal songwriter and this is no different. The song obviously begins with a great deal of frustration. Some nights he cashes in his bad luck, meaning that he likes to milk it and get pity. Some nights he just doesn't care enough, and calls it a draw. Some nights he wants to be a superstar musician, some nights he's frustrated with this music thing and doesn't even care anymore. Either way, he can't shake this girl, the ghost he speaks of. The entire chorus is essentially echoing his confusion and the fact that he can't make a decision on what he wants in life. The "this is it boys, this is war" verse can be interpreted differently, and several people have had good ideas (barring the people who think this song is about war..). It's possibly about the start up of fun. About how motivated he was when he started the band. Those who were fans back then will remember this awesome email Nate sent out, as well as a demo of Benson Hedges. What enthusiasm! It was all about how they were going to not follow rules and make music because they loved it. That's what he's saying here. Unfortunately, despite producing a great album, he wasn't satisfied. Critics were too harsh and others stole is ideas. I'm not sure what the "martyr in my bed" verse is. I would venture to say that he's referring to some random girl he's sleeping with to forget his frustration about the music scene. He's saying "The critics don't like me, but whatever, I'll sleep with this girl and take stuff out on her and not think about it." If he wasn't with the girl, he'd be alone with his thoughts, wondering what he should do differently. The next little verse echoes the beginning of the song. Some nights he's tired of the time and effort that his career requires, and how it cuts into social time. I think he's afraid that his fans are the ones who will forget him like in the time between The Format and fun. Some nights he wins. Maybe he means that some nights it's fun and he gets good feedback and fan support? The bridge, if you want to call it that, is awesome! He's successful. That's not arguable. He's a signed musician, makes songs that are popular, and here he is reflecting on all of this. So this is it...He's at the top of the music industry, where people would do anything to make it to. He's asking himself if it was worth it. Selling his soul perhaps means giving in to some of the pressure of the music industry (think back to the Format song "Dear Boy" where he says "they say we're just not high enough octane"), he left AZ and the family which he is so close to, he quit the Format (washed his hands of it) for this new band. He did all of that and he's there, wondering what it was all for. For the stars section, I would say that he doesn't like all of the hype he's gotten. He doesn't like being famous. Stars are just regular people to him. As for songs sounding like a swan, perhaps that's a reference to some of the overlapping themes in the Format's song "Swan". This next verse is really him being honest and maybe blowing up and saying more than he should. He was super excited for fun. and wanted to take it far, but he's barely started and he's bored, just like he was in The Format. He's been a musician for 10 years now and he still doesn't feel like people get who he is, what he wants to be, and why he does this. He also admits that he had to be selfish and leave AZ and go make it big. The "desert sun" reference has NOTHING to do with the war. What a dumb suggestion. Go listen to "On Your Porch". There are other songs throughout his career where the "desert sun" is a clear symbol for Arizona. He spent a lot of time there, but he doesn't want to just die out here. He wants to make something out of his life. The next little bit ties up the theme of the song. Some nights, his life feels really terrible. But he thinks to the experiences his sister has has. Clearly she had a bad night (or several) and ended up with a child. But that kid, Nate's nephew, is really neat. Nate gets a bit of an epiphany and sees the glass half full. Sure, some nights suck, but good things can come from even the most terrible nights. At the end, Nate dreams about the girl that he is no longer with. He wanted to speak to this girl about the dream, but he hesitated. They had a mutual agreement to stay apart and let each other move on. Simple as that. I think songs can be interpreted differently by different people. Some of you see war in this song. That's cool, but the song isn't about that. See things how you want, and make memories around the song (I remember a big bike race in Southern California when I hear this song), but I thought I'd jump in and clear up the actual meaning of the song. Cheers. |
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| Bright Eyes – Ladder Song Lyrics | 13 years ago |
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One of the big themes in this song is death. The ladder he is a metaphor for death. No one knows what happens after death, but you can be certain that you're gonna die. I feel like he mentions that "you're not alone in anything" in reference to someone who is thinking about death and is depressed. I agree with the last poster, it sounds as if he is saying that Buddha and Jesus can do their thing, he isn't paying attention to them. He would rather read science fiction. That first chorus seems to imply that all of this talk of death is dealing with suicide. Ups and downs and twisted minds are all things that go back to depression and other things dealing with a mind that is confused. The second verse is a bit more abstract, but I feel it has an air of betrayal. This could also go with the talk of traitors at the end of the first chorus. A charlatan was somebody who deceived people for money. When he says "be the first to know...", I think he means that if he dies, he'll be the first to know what is up the ladder, what happens after death. I don't know much about mantras but I believe that they have to do with prayer and meditation, an object of focus that can help one attain their spiritual goal. So possibly this is the person trying to work things out, get on the right track. Here's where the song gets a bit confusing. He says he knows now...Possibly he meditated with the mantra and found some deep answer? Perhaps he finds out that what he really enjoys is music? He meditated and figured something out and then talks about a concert? I feel like the new age could be that thing that he figures out is what he is living for. He is going to embrace it and go all out (warrior paint). He opens his eyes and his mind and he appreciates life and sees it differently. A star is born may represent new hope, new life. He is emotional, and he wants to share it with someone that he finds precious, possibly somebody that he now embraces. That last little bit seems like a reassuring statement. Perhaps he has decided to stick with the world, and he is asking himself when it will be done now that he is not going to end his own life. The world is a hallucination, it's a confusing place to live in sometimes, and it's hard to make sense of certain things at times. My favorite line of the song: "You're not along in anything, you're not alone in trying to be." That's chilling. That's what I would want to hear when I'm upset, depressed, etc. You're not alone, even when you feel alone, because there are others like you who are alone (I actually used a similar line in one of my songs so I really relate). I said "You're not as lonely as you feel that you may be, you see there's others just like you, who have a hard time dealing with their lives." Beautiful song, let me know if you agree/disagree with anything I said. I interpreted it this way and I want other peoples' insight to help me understand it better. |
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| Bright Eyes – Coyote Song Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Very beautiful song, despite how sad it is. I have a friend who is being forced to go back to her country for three years before trying to get a new visa. It's a ridiculous situation, as her lawyer is the one who messed things up, and I relate to how Conor feels. | |
| Bright Eyes – Shell Games Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| This is pretty good, but it has yet to grow on me. I'm looking forward to the album. | |
| The New Amsterdams – Ex's Oh's Lyrics | 13 years ago |
| Awesome song. | |
| I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business – Telling Me Goodbye Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Is this song about an actual person or is it more of a metaphor about losing something/someone? If it is really about an actual person, I wonder who that person is? | |
| I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business – Stop Smoking Because It's Not Good For You Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| So far, this is my favorite song off of "The World We Know" | |
| I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business – Old Man........................... Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| It's nice to hear something new from I Can Make a Mess. This is a great song, and I'm excited to hear what else Ace has in store for the new album! | |
| Damien Rice – What If I'm Wrong Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Very moving song. Different style of lyrics than most of his previous works, but it's just as powerful. I am glad to hear some new stuff out of this extraordinary musician after so many years. | |
| fun. – Light a Roman Candle with Me Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Yup! This song was one of the last ones to get stuck in my head but it is now. Can't wait for the official release! | |
| fun. – Barlights Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| This is a really good song! | |
| fun. – Take Your Time (Coming Home) Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Song starts with "oh da na na, oh da na na, oooh" | |
| fun. – All the Pretty Girls Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Good stuff! Can't wait for the album. 22 more days! | |
| fun. – At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be) Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| I heard an online-radio interview with Nate and Jack a week or so ago and the hosts asked Nate if he really couldn't fall in love and didn't keep friends. Nate said that that wasn't true (I am paraphrasing)but that it was just part of the song. Sometimes songs are not mirror images of the musician's life. | |
| fun. – Be Calm Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I noticed on the ringtones that Fun. just released that they say "you hate your heart" not "you hate your pulse". Possibly a lyric change for the actual version of the song. | |
| Atmosphere – Insomnia 411 Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This song is so underrated, it's crazy! This is an awesome song. Also, the piano in this song is from Coldplay's The Scientist. |
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| fun. – Take Your Time (Coming Home) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I am really excited about this song. I agree that it seems to be about the Format breaking up. Here is my interpretation. I think the first verse and the "chorus" is all about not holding grudges. Nate is telling people to relax, just enjoy what is around you, and forgive people. Then Nate talks about someone he loves. I love the line "It's a beautiful thing when you love somebody." I think Nate includes this verse to show that although he lost one thing (his band), he still has his love. His eggs weren't all in one basket. Then Nate says "I don't think I'd been misled,it was a rocknroll band,I'm still standing." This is about The Format. I feel like he is justifying the fact that he is able to take his time and to forgive everyone by saying that it was just a band. Then comes the "see of everyone who called" verse. Most of the people who called Nate after the break-up had a "I told you so" attitude. They thought he would fail, and felt like he did. However, Nate didn't fail. He was successful with The Format, established himself in the music world and has a bright future. My favorite line is "if it's true, if it's true, if it's true, then what the fuck have I been doing these last six years." Then Nate keeps proving everybody wrong by listing all of the things he has done and overcome. The dream part is a bit more difficult to understand. I imagine that the kids in the dream are Nate and his friends as kids. Nate has said in songs and at concerts that his family always had modest means. I also think that being through "causing a scene" is important. In the First single, the first song that The Format really got popular, Nate sings "Let's cause a scene." I feel that that line symbolizes the Format, and that Nate is saying he is through with the Format. Nate ends by saying that for every love that goes, a new one comes. The Format left, but Fun is now here. That is what he means by that. He wants everybody to not take things for granted and to enjoy things while you can. That is why he wants everybody to tell the people they love how they feel. |
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| fun. – The Gambler Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| It's missing: "So we move out to the garden, look like everything we've owned (or grown)" in the last verse. | |
| fun. – The Gambler Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| This sounds like a song about Nate's parents. They are talking about their lives, their kids, etc. | |
| Wheat – Closer To Mercury Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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To me this is a song about a guy who is in love with a girl. However, the girl considers him as a friend. The guy tries to be ok with this, he stands by her side with everything she does, hoping that one day she will see him as more than a friend. He even helps her with her relationships, trying to give advise, etc. even though it is killing him. Then he gets over her. That is what the "summer love" part is. He is saying that he fell in love, she didn't move quickly enough, and now he is at peace. There is a bit of vengeance it seems though. Even though he has moved on, he tells her that she will never find love like his. My interpretation, songs are different to different people. We can all agree this is an awesome song though. |
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| fun. – I Wanna Be the One Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| On the OurNameIsFun twitter, Nate says that it is "I know that it's been sang before, but you're my human holiday." Sang rather than said.. | |
| The Format – Three's (Demo Version) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| This is a really good song. | |
| Lisa Hannigan – Teeth Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I love the emotion that erupts in this song towards the end. The lyrics and they way they are sung emulate what she is feeling perfectly. | |
| fun. – At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Lives=loves | |
| fun. – At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used to Be) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Another great song by Fun! | |
| fun. – I Wanna Be the One Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| This is a catchy song, I'm excited to hear an album version of it! | |
| fun. – Benson Hedges (Demo) Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I agree with IfWorkPermits. The connection between If Work Permits (last song on Dog Problem) and this song (first song released by Fun) is similar to the connection between A Save Situation (last song on Interventions) and Matches (first song on Dog Problems). A Save Situation ends with "...and we all fall down." Matches starts with "ashes to ashes". These are some of the lyrics to Ring a Ring o' Roses. So those two songs are obviously connected. Now, as IfWorkPermits pointed out, the song If Work Permits says "you'll grab that piece of gold" and "..is gonna set the sails, and send me back to you". This new song says "Took one last look at the gold" and "I will set sail for the streets." It's a neat little pattern. Nate connects the end of his albums with the beginning of the next lyrically. Anyways, awesome song! |
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| fun. – Be Calm Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I love this song! I can't wait for the album! Here are some corrections: "I've reclaimed the use of my imagination."(verse 1) "Every single crack, every penny that I pass, says I should either leave or pick it up."(verse 2) "You hate your pulse because he still thinks you're alive."(chorus) "And I can't remember the man, the man who wrote this melody"(bridge) |
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