Assistant to the Regional Manager

Album: With Roots Above and Branches Below (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In his Songfacts interview, Jeremy DePoyster said that a typical The Devil Wears Prada songs often starts with a melody written by guitarist Chris Rubey, while singer Mike Hranica pens the lyrics. As far as naming the songs goes, however, it's an entirely collaborative process. It usually involves the band tossing around jokes and bantering until a name they like comes up.

    In line with this, the band has said that they don't like to give their songs "serious names," and instead prefer to use jokes or goofy allusions. DePoyster explained that "Assistant to the Regional Manager" is a reference to NBC sitcom The Office. The title refers to the self-affixed position that character Dwight Schrute would often lords over his co-workers.
  • The song uses trademark Devil Wears Prada sounds - fast-paced, adrenaline-pumped Metalcore. The lyrics are a defiant refutation of the crippling effect of living through hard times. It's an anthemic call to arms that urges its listeners ("These writings are to those who have weeped") to rise up and overcome their troubles ("Wrong again but stronger now, we can face this"). They also exhibit Hranica's preference for dark, intense imagery with lines like, "Tombstones serve as mirrors and the graves are infinite."
  • The song appears on 2009's With Roots Above and Branches Below. The album was well received by critics, and saw the band enjoy a significant bump in popularity, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Top 200. Speaking to Female First, drummer Daniel Williams said that the band didn't have any particular goal in mind when writing they album. They simply decided to work until they had something they were happy with, and assume that if they enjoyed the music, other people would too.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

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).

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.