“Being Funny in a Foreign Language”, the latest album from The 1975, changed my life.
Not really, but it did open me to a whole new genre of music – sarcastic commentary. Matty Healy, George Daniel, Ross MacDonald, and Adam Hann write some of the most unique and often questionable lyrics. They are not afraid of expressing their personal experiences of love, loss, heartbreak, or political opinions. They are also pretty crazy performance-wise. Recently videos of their concerts have gone viral and for good reason.
Matty Healy definitely has a flair for the dramatic. It isn’t obvious in his appearance or his dress. But it is obvious through his songs, lyrics, and actions – especially those on stage. Recently, Healy has devoured several raw Tomahawk steaks on stage during several different concerts, smashed and then climbed through a 1950’s – esque television, and kissed multiple fans on the mouth after pulling them on stage during their song “Robbers.” Their stage set up is also quite extravagant. It’s an entire house that’s completely open on one side with the band interspersed throughout different rooms. Matty has climbed to the top of this house and precariously performed from the roof. He’s tripped a few times and almost fallen, but luckily, he’s strapped in.
Another thing that has contributed to their success on TikTok is their music. People have started using their songs in videos. Their songs have many different applications because of the uniqueness of the lyrics. They often poke fun at trends or aspects of pop culture. Here are some of my favorite lyrics of them making fun of media fads:
tHE 1975
“You’re making an aesthetic out of not doing well, and minin’ all the bits of you you think you can sell”
“You see I can’t sleep ‘cause the American Dream has been buying up all of my self-esteem while QANON created a legitimate scene, but it was just some bloke in the Philippines”
PART OF THE BAND
“I know some ‘Vaccinista tote bag chic baristas’, sitting east on their communista keisters”
They also write a lot of songs pertaining to relevant social issues like school shootings, drug addictions, racism, and suicide.
LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO LOVE
“But the boy with the plan and the gun in his hand was l-l-looking for somebody to love”
IT’S NOT LIVING (IF IT’S NOT WITH YOU)
“All I do is sit and drink without you, If I choose, then I lose, Distract my brain from the terrible news”
OH CAROLINE
“I’ve been suicidal, You’ve been gone for weeks”
LOVE IT IF WE MADE IT
“Selling melanin and then suffocate the black men, Start with misdemeanors and we’ll make a business out of them”
If you listen to all these songs fully, not just these excerpts, you’ll see how they use irony and sarcasm to express how they truly feel about something. This is how the band has been able to create such a unique connection with its fans. They have a relatively small fanbase, but their fans are dedicated and invested. So invested in fact, that a few fans have expressed concerns about Matty’s behavior. His extravagant on-stage behaviors mixed with intense smoking and drinking seem to be reflecting his behavior before recovering from his heroin addiction.
Nonetheless, The 1975 continues to push boundaries and create a distinctive experience unlike any other artist. Their comedic commentary on serious issues helps fans relate to their music and feel seen. They are a meaningful band for a lot of people, and they have become one for me as well.