Ways I Can't Tell

Album: Everything Is My Family (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Crystal Fighters explained the meaning of this folk-based dance song to NME: "'Ways I Can't Tell' is about a kind of mutual crush that might be about to turn into something else," the band said. "It's about that special time in a relationship where everything seems uncertain but also very exciting, and you mind is going wild thinking about what might be going and what might happen."
  • The band wrote the song during a stay on the Canary Islands. The location's tropical island setting influenced the4 track's vibe. "We just had a ukulele, a charango, a small guitar and a microphone with us and just came up with that tropical-sounding riff and chords on those instruments, writing overlooking the rough Atlantic Ocean on the north side of the island watching the waves beating against the shore," Crystal Fighters said.

    "We finished off the production in Los Angeles and London, turning it into a kind of crazy tropical beat-folk song which builds into a sort of 90s rave rinse-out," they continued. "We thought this style would suit the energy of the lyrics and give people with that kind of unrequited crush the confidence to approach their love and say to hell with it: 'Wanna dance?'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Love of The Beach Boys

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.