Songfacts®:

• In this song, Jem sings about how society makes up all of these rules, and no one ever stops to think them through. Jem explained to Virgin Radio: " It is a song about the things that 'they' say, whoever 'they' are that we listen to and we act on without questioning. The example being, and what I wrote it about, was when I went to New York I had read in a New York guide, to not look people in the eye on the subway it kind of implied that I would get shot or something. When I got there I was really scared and literally would not look at anyone. Years later I was on the subway every day going to Brooklyn and I thought, 'Oh my God, it's fine!' I had completely believed this book. It made me think about all the things 'they' say." >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Chibi - Placentia, CA
• The music is based on Bach's "Prelude in F Minor," specifically a vocal version by the French group The Swingle Sisters, which is where the "ba-ba-dums" come from.