(Don't Let Them) Cool Off by Peter Bjorn and John

Album: Gimme Some (2011)

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This jangly jam is a stab at the Swedish royal family (we didn't know they had one). Singer-guitarist Peter Moren explained to Spin magazine: "This year has been a busy year for the royal family - the princess got married, the other princess broke up with her fiancé, and a book came out about the king claiming he parties and has mistresses. We all agree that a country like Sweden, a democracy, shouldn't have a royal family. Not because the king's screwing around, but because it's old fashioned."
Moren told Spin the track's riff and middle section references two Brit groups, alt-rockers the Godfathers and '70s power-pop outfit the Only Ones, "but otherwise sounds very American, like R.E.M. or Tom Petty even. It's American car driving music!"

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