Album: Melophobia (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Vocalist Matt Shultz explained the song's meaning to MusicRadar.com: "I wanted to write about something that you struggle with and battle to get away from, but I wanted to make it sound like it's about a relationship, even though it's not," he said. "It's about these vices that plague us. In the chorus, it says, 'I lost my halo' – I was thinking about that point in life where you feel you're innocent… I don't even know if you recognize it as innocent – you just don't see your shortcomings. And then you fall on your face in a big way, and you realize that you look foolish."

    "There have been some things that I've done in the past couple of years that I'm not proud of at all," Shultz continued. "The song is about those things that continuously come back to haunt you."
  • Guitarist Lincoln Parish told Loudwire the story of the song: "We were on tour with The Black Keys," he recalled. "Me and Jared were jamming at soundcheck one day and I came up with the riff. Then me and Matt started working on it a little bit, that's a song too, kind of kept that idea around. That's all it was for the longest time, just an idea. I just had this one riff and then some chords, put it to a chorus and ended up changing all the – it was just one of those things that had a catchy melody, and the riff then we just kept the idea around. Then once we all got together, that's when it really became what it is."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Don Felder

Don FelderSongwriter Interviews

Don breaks down "Hotel California" and other songs he wrote as a member of the Eagles. Now we know where the "warm smell of colitas" came from.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.