Album: The Swiss Army Romance (2000)

License This Song 

• Sleep with all the lights on
  You're not so happy
  You're not secure
  
  And you're dying to look cute
  In your blue jeans
  But you're plastic just like everyone
  Just like everyone
  
  And that face you paint is pressed
  Impressing most of us as permanent
  And I'd like to see you undone
  
  College night will draw the crowds
  Dorms unload and you're heading out
  Here is your moment to shine
  Making up a history
  It's nothing from the life you lead
  But man, will they buy all your lines
  
  Sleep with all the sheets off
  Bearing your mattress
  Bearing your soul
  
  And you're dying to look smooth
  With your tattoos
  But you're searching just like everyone
  You could be anyone
  
  And those friends you have are the best
  Impressing most of us as permanent
  But I'd like to see you undone
  
  Youth's the most unfaithful mistress
  Still we forge ahead to miss her
  Rushing our moment to shine
  Making up a history
  It's nothing from the life you lead
  But man, will they buy all your lines
  
  We're not twenty-one
  But the sooner we are
  The sooner the fun will begin
  
  So get out your fake eyelashes
  And fake I.D.s
  And real disasters ensue
  
  It's cool to take these chances
  It's cool to fake romances
  And grow up fast
  
  And grow up fast
  And grow up fast
  And grow up fast Writer/s: CHRISTOPHER ANDREW CARRABBA
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 11

• Paige from Avondale, PaThis song is about teenage girls. It's about how much they care about what other people think, so they "get out fake eyelashes...and fake id's...its cool to take these chances...and grow up fast...". This song is saying they pretend to be older and more mature so they lie about things when they really are just covering up something else, like fear to be themselves.
• Renee from Saint John, CanadaThis is one of my favorite Dashboard songs. The lyrics are amazing.
• Tom from Jamestown, NyChris, from San Diego, "emo" is short for "emotional hardcore." It's any kind of guitar-driven alternative rock that expresses emotion beyond punk's limited range of alientation and rage.
• Shindoakari from Medan, Indonesiadashboard!!!cried everytime i listened to his song...*sniff*
• Ariel from Woodbridge, Cti just found a must read for any Dashboard/any other "emo" fans- its called Nothing Feels Good, and Chris says in it that the title "Swiss Army Romance" refers to "her-well, actually to people like us, our relationship just got to this point where it was all...neutral. totally neutral. just like the Swiss Army."
• Kerry from New York, Nythis song isn't about a romance, actually. i've talked to him about it at shows *and* read it in interviews. it's about teenage girls who rush ahead to act grown up, missing the greatest part of their life (youth). instead they wear makeup and get fake ids and try so hard to be grown up when really they're just as lost as everyone else.
• Billy from Pittsburgh, PaWhen I saw this title, I was tempted to assume that the meaning referred to slitting your wrists. You know, with a Swiss Army Knife, or something along those lines. I mean, this is emo...
• Annabeth from Kutztown, PaI got the idea that it's about a girl who's very young, still in high school, maybe, who goes up to the college nearby and pretends to be older and more experienced than she is, cuz she's trying to be cool. ("Get out your fake eyelashes and your fake i.d.s," "college nights will draw the crowds," "it's cool to take these chances, it's cool to fake romances and grow up fast.") Also, I think it might have to do with her trying to grow up and be an adult.
• Ariel from Woodbridge, Ctthe title Swiss Army Romance, does not mean "Non-Existient", nor does it refer to the Swiss Army knife in fact the Swiss army is one of the best armies in the world, it means pointless and neutral.
• Meg from Worcester, MaIt seems as if it's about a relationship he had with a girl who was very fake...as a result, any "love" that they may have had mut have turned out to be fake as well. What I get from it is a deep description of a girl that tells a lot of lies about herself, and isn't true to herself, in order to be cool and have tons of friends. He must know the real her, and must have wanted her to act like her real self. She probably didn't want to stop acting popular, so he deserts her and nothing real ever happened.
• Alison from Fairfield, Ctchris is the man, i mean, his poetry is so freaking good

More Songfacts:

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

Just A GirlNo Doubt

Gwen Stefani wrote "Just a Girl" as a message to her overprotective father.

Bitter Sweet SymphonyThe Verve

"Bittersweet Symphony" by The Verve samples an obscure orchestral arrangement of the 1965 Rolling Stones song "The Last Time." The Verve had to sign away most of the royalties before they could release the song.

Midnight RiderThe Allman Brothers Band

A roadie for the Allman Brothers came up with the line "The road goes on forever" for "Midnight Rider," and got a songwriting credit for his contribution.

WomanizerBritney Spears

"Womanizer" was Britney Spears' comeback song, going to #1 about 10 months after she was institutionalized to get treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Video Killed The Radio StarBuggles

"Video Killed The Radio Star" by Buggles was the first video to air on MTV when the network started broadcasting on August 1, 1981.

Editor's Picks

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.