I have been a diehard fan of The 1975 for over seven years now, so I was obviously very excited to listen to their new album Being Funny in a Foreign Language, and I can confidently say that it did not disappoint. This is by far one of my favorite albums they have released, and their live performances on their world tour “The 1975 at Their Very Best” has consistently encapsulated the true nature of the album as more of a collective series of stories than just an album.
This is The 1975’s fifth album since their first release in 2013 and is much different than anything they’ve done before. Even the title is open to interpretation, with mine being someone having to express emotions in a way most people don’t understand. Because of the band’s mysterious reputation and refusal to be placed in a box, the name begins to take shape.
I can totally see why the album may come across as scattered and it doesn’t seem like there is one general vibe or theme. It begins to make more sense when you consider Matty Healy’s desire for this album was to communicate different memorable events in his life rather than one general message.
- “The 1975”
Review: Every one of their albums begins with a song called “The 1975,” but out of all of their songs with this name, this is by far my favorite. The lyrics are painfully relatable, speaking on the current generation of youth and their powerlessness in the face of changing times. It is hauntingly beautiful, raw, and real.
Favorite lyric: “You’re makin’ an aesthetic out of not doing well, And minin’ all the bits of you you think you can sell, Whilst the fans are on.”
Overall ranking: 2
- “Happiness”
Review: This is one of the more lighthearted and upbeat songs on the album. While the lyrics are not as meaningful as others on the album, they communicate a man deeply in love with a woman, lamenting on how happy she makes him. It also makes you think about what happiness means to you as the listener. It’s a feel-good song that makes you want to dance.
Favorite lyric: “Confidence is comical, And I’m, and I’m happy, That’s what I like, I’m happiest when I’m doing something that I know is good, That’s happiness for me.”
Overall ranking: 5
- “Looking for Somebody (To Love)”
Review: This song has the similar upbeat feel as “Happiness” does, but the lyrics are pretty dark. The song speaks about the human desire to feel connection and love each other as well as how upsetting it is when you feel like there is no one for you to love and to love you. This message is so interesting when juxtaposed with the upbeat track in the background and makes this song an interesting one, somehow both uplifting and depressing at the same time.
Favorite lyric: “Maybe we’re lackin’ in desire, Maybe it’s just all f*cked, But the boy with the plan and a gun in his hand was lo-lo-lo-lookin’ for somebody to love.”
Overall ranking: 7
- “Part of the Band”
Review: Out of all the songs on the album, the lyrics in this song were not as apparently clear as the others. After a couple of listens, I was able to gather that Healy speaks ironically about his profession, poking fun at fellow celebrities for believing their jobs are the most important. It’s rare for an artist to make fun of the mere fact that they are an artist and this song highlights Matty Healy’s consistent, ironic self-awareness.
Favorite lyric: “Am I ironically woke? The butt of my joke? Or am I just some post-coke, average, skinny bloke, Calling his ego imagination?”
Overall ranking: 4
- “Oh Caroline”
Review: It was painful for me to rank it low, as I truly love this song, but something about it did not fit The 1975’s overall vibe. The lyrics are fairly shallow, detailing a man’s deep and passionate love for “Caroline,” even though she doesn’t treat him the way he thinks he should be treated. Healy’s lyrics communicate the feeling of losing yourself to be with someone you love, even though you know the person might not be right for you.
Favorite lyric: “I’ll find myself in the moonlight, ‘Cause baby, I want everythin’ that you wanna, And I’ve triеd to just be me like a thousand timеs, But you’re on my mind.”
Overall ranking: 11
- “I’m in Love with You”
Review: As always, Matty Healy is painfully (and awkwardly) honest in his lyrics. This song appears straightforward as Healy sings his confession of being in love with a partner. However, in one of the lines, Healy confesses that while his partner is speaking about something that is important to her he doesn’t listen or pay attention. So, what does this song really communicate? I believe that Healy feels like he is in love with his partner, but writes this song to confess how much he struggles in relationships and being there for someone else.
Favorite lyric: “What a call, movin’ in, I feel like I can loosen my lips (Come on so strong), I can summarize it for you, It’s simple and it goes like this.”
Overall ranking: 3
- “All I Need to Hear”
Review: This song is heartbreakingly sad, as Healy sings about someone he is in a relationship with leaving him for good. He begs her to come back and tell him again that he loves him as he becomes more and more distraught. As someone who has been through a hard breakup, it’s painfully relatable and really beautiful.
Favorite lyric: “’Cause I don’t need music in my ears, I don’t need the crowds and the cheers, Oh, just tell me you love me,’Cause that’s all that I need to hear.”
Overall ranking: 9
- “Wintering”
Review: This song was similar to “Oh Caroline,” as the overall vibe was pretty confusing and unlike anything The 1975 has released before. Healy speaks on coming home to visit his family over the holidays which feels more anecdotal than any of their other songs, and while it’s upbeat and fun it’s not one of my favorites.
Favorite lyric: “Oh, Dad’s an Otis Redding at a wеdding type guy, With the best voice you ever heard, He said, ‘Give me a date I can work on, my heart hurts.’”
Overall ranking: 10
- “Human Too”
Review: In this song Healy speaks on times he has been under public scrutiny, bringing up a particular controversy he faced when he wore a suicide vest in a music video for their last album on the anniversary of the Manchester bombings. Although he apologizes for his mistakes, he defends himself saying he makes them because he is human and asks the listener if they are a human who makes mistakes as well. It presents a whole new perspective on celebrities being “canceled,” begging the question of what is really excusable as we are all humans and constantly make mistakes.
Favorite lyric: “Considerin’ me looking through you, Thinkin’ it was somethin’ I used to do, I thought I’d done anger, I thought I’d done shame, But I’ve always been the same.”
Overall ranking: 6
- “About You”
Review: This. Song. The first time I heard this song I was completely blown away and I anticipate it being my most played song this year. Everything about it is perfect to me, from the lyrics to the melody to the vocals. Carly Holt, one of the band member’s fiancees, is featured on the bridge. Her voice is serene which makes the song that much better. It’s sad and beautiful, and by far my favorite song ever by The 1975. If you are not sure if you’ll like the band or the album, I highly recommend this song as a place to start!
Favorite lyric: “And I’ll miss you on a train, I’ll miss you in the morning, I never know what to think about, I think about you, About you”
Overall ranking: 1
- “When We Are Together”
Review: On every The 1975 album, there is one song that I want to have my first dance to at my wedding and on “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” this is that song. This song is about all of the small and seemingly insignificant parts of a relationship that make it so much harder to get over when the relationship ends. No stranger to his own personal struggles, Healy writes about finding a person that makes him feel like everything will be okay, which is something I think a lot of people can relate to.
Favorite lyric: “You ask about the cows, wearin’ my sweater, It’s somethin’ about the weather that makes them lie down, The only time I feel I might get better is when we are together.”
Overall ranking: 8