(Coffee's for Closers)

Album: Folie à Deux (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Frontman Patrick Stump explained to MTV News that, "everything we're trying to say about pop culture, it's in this song." He added: "The chorus - 'Change will come, but I will never believe in anything again' - that's about the '90s, when we really cared, [but] then we got into all this awful mess. And I think people stopped believing in the goodwill of man and that you can change the world or do any good. So everything became internalized. The past decade has been totally about 'me.' It's totally about 'Oh, I'm sad. I want this. I know somebody who knows this person. Me me me me me,' so that's what that song is about."
  • This was originally titled "Never Believe."
  • The song's title is a reference to the David Mamet play and film Glengarry Glen Ross where the word "closer" is used in the sense of a salesman who can close a sale. In the movie, Alec Baldwin admonishes Jack Lemmon for not closing real estate deals. He barks: "Put. That coffee. Down. Coffee's for closers only."
  • Folie à Deux, the band's fourth studio album, debuted at #8 on the albums chart. Although it was Gold-certified with half a million copies sold in the US, it was considered a commercial disappointment compared to their previous releases. Fans were also split on the band's evolving, genre-defying style, which led to disgruntled audience members booing the new songs on the ensuing tour.

Comments: 4

  • Adelaide Iden from NyThis song just carries strong vibes of "f--k off, we just make music, nothing much." Really phenomenal work IMO
  • Mike from Matawan, Nj"You think I'm phuckin' with you? I assure you, I am not phuckin' with you." Don't know about the song but the play and the movie are awesome.
  • Bobby from Bremen, GermanyWell, I was in Berlin on the FOB concert, where they performed this song for the first time live and Pete said that it was about the cameras that are all over Hollywood and that they should be brought to more important places like I dunno Ghana I think he mentioned in order to show the World its real problems.
    That's what Pete said.
  • J from O'side, Va♥ My fav' from the band!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.