Set Phasers To Stun

Album: Where You Want To Be (2004)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is about a relationship that has just ended. The guy in the song has suspected it all along but he didn't dare confront his girlfriend about it until she told him. The chorus is him saying, "Fine, you go hang around your apartment like you really want to be there, but you're really miserable." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Adam - Dublin, Ireland
  • The title is a phrase often said on Star Trek when they needed their weapons, but didn't want to use deadly force.
  • The album title comes from the line in this song, "So pace the stairs to your apartment, like it's where you want to be."

Comments: 16

  • Killer KellyI totally disagree Adam. And those aren’t the actual lyrics
  • Melissa from , NyIt seems like 'set phasers to stun' and 'The Union', have the same energy as the songs in 'Tell all your friends' which is good. But most of the other songs on 'Where you want to be' (most, not all) are missing that energy. Right? But on 'louder now' that energy is definetly back.
  • Dani from Chicago, Ilwell i think it's the guy wants the relationship to work out, but she's only pushing him away. "you know i, i could take the place of the pills" "if i talk in my sleep will you just keep trying?" <3
  • Jessica from Cortland, NyThe lyrics are actually "pace the stairs to your apartment like that's where you want to be." And I love this song, and I love how everyone has their own interpretations, but we'll probably never know what any of it means.
  • Chris from Dover, Nj"the name one eighty by summer has nothing to do with a movie, whoever said that. its named after a bet the band had that ed could lose 180 pounds by summer."

    Actually, the bet was that Ed would weigh 180 pounds by the summer, not lose 180 pounds.
  • Dylan from Boston, United Statesthe name one eighty by summer has nothing to do with a movie, whoever said that. its named after a bet the band had that ed could lose 180 pounds by summer.
  • Max from Gothenburg, Sweden=) as Sasha said a lot of bands seems to be fond of John Cusack, In one of fall out boy's songs they sign "I can be you john cusack" Dont remember the title of it though...
  • Joshua from Twin Cities, MnAaron: "Also, in StarWars: A New Hope, Darth Vader says 'Set Phasers To Stun'"

    Not quite. Vader says he wants the passengers of the captured ship to be taken alive. A short time later one of the stormtroopers spots Leia and says "There's one, set for stun." Besides, in the Star Wars universe the stormtroopers' sidearms are called blasters, not phasers.
  • Danny from Chicago, IlI first thought this song was about suicide. It seemed like his girlfriend (or whoever) was about to commit suicide, and he didn't make it to her in time.

    "i'm sorry it took me so long"... seems like he's sorry for not getting to her in time.

    "i could take the place of those pills"... he could have talked her out of it.

    Just what I thought until I came here. =) Now I know it's about a simple breakup.
  • Sasha from Belleville, Mimax is totally right. thats where the song title came from. but if you notice a lot of bands are fans of john cusack... if you listen to hawthorne heights, the song Niki FM is about Say Anything.. and then the actual band, say anything is named after the movie.
  • Aaron from Chicago, IlAlso, in StarWars: A New Hope, Darth Vader says "Set Phasers To Stun"

    im guessing the boys are StarWars fans, because in the song 'Decade under influence' they keep saying the infamous Star Wars line 'Ive Got A Bad Feeling About This"
  • Brandie from Jacksonville, AlNeither one of them are happy in the relationship, but they are both too exhausted from trying to make it work to actually call it quits.
  • James from Stamford, Ctyeah,...set phasers to stun, a decade under the influence, number 5 with a bullet, 180 by summer, you know how i do..are all movie titles that i know of,..they probably have more named after movies that im not aware of
  • Max from Gothenburg, Swedenanother name that I'm wondering over is "number five with a bullet" I'm not english/american but is that some kind of expression or is it from High Fidelity when Rob finds out Laura is with Ian.. "congratulations Laura, you made it to the top five, -Number five, with a bullet- Laura"
  • Hayley from Mckinney, Txthis song is really good, its kind of different from what tbs usually does but i like thier new style :) they are an amazing band
  • Adam from Dublin, Irelandthats probably where they got it from, they just flick through a tv guide or tv etc for the names of their songs. they don't like the idea of naming a song after a line in the song...
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