Be Safe

Album: Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a track from English indie rock band, The Cribs' third studio album, Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever.
  • The song features a spoken word contribution from Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, in which he rails against the ills of the modern world. He recalled to Mojo magazine October 2009: "They wanted to challenge themselves, go out on a limb. They gave me this pop song and said, 'We want you to talk over it.' I couldn't see how it would work. I was apprehensive but it fell into place."
  • The song is included on the soundtrack of the 2008 action movie, Never Back Down.
  • Bassist Gary Jarman recalled to NME in a 2013 interview how the song has become one of the band's most popular numbers: "It was a weird one," he said. "We were trying to be a bit more leftfield, but rather than it being this anonymous thing we can't leave it out of the set."

Comments: 1

  • Tara from Dallas, TxI like how the monologue speaks of challenge, while the cribs sing be safe. be safe. be safe.

    a challenge indeed to steer on and stay the course. because a challenge, is a fall. a fall that makes you wish you were dead.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Chris Tomlin

Chris TomlinSongwriter Interviews

The king of Christian worship music explains talks about writing songs for troubled times.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Ramones

RamonesFact or Fiction

A band so baffling, even their names were contrived. Check your score in the Ramones version of Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.