Sure, everyone is freaking out about Taylor Swift’s Midnights release. But can we take a moment to talk about that new album by The 1975?! Being Funny In A Foreign Language is arguably the band’s most genuinely uplifting album they’ve released, having so many songs that just make you want to dance and be in love. Yes, we will always love those iconic songs from their older albums, like “Robbers” and “Somebody Else,” but this new album as a whole feels a bit more casually listenable than the previous ones. These are all lovey, carefree songs and I am absolutely obsessed! So, let me ramble on about my top three songs from the album that I’ve had on repeat since its release.
1. “Happiness”
As it says right in the title, “Happiness” is such a feel-good song, and it’s my absolute favorite from the album. It just has such a cheery mood to it and it’s hard to resist singing along. The song starts with Matty Healy talking in an interview about how happiness for him is brought by “doing something that [he] know[s] is good,” perhaps that is being in a good relationship or writing music with a relevant, powerful meaning, as The 1975 tends to do. The lyrics continue to describe how he often doubts himself and his mind and how he doesn’t want to mess up the relationship he has (whether that be with a partner or his fans). When he says, “you mind my mind,” it seems to be reassuring to Healy that this “good” thing he talks about, which brings him such happiness, understands him. I love the line, “I would go blind just to see you. I’d go too far just to have you near.” It’s so simple yet so clever, and how freaking adorable! I attend college out of state, so this line resonates with me because I understand that feeling of joy brought by just seeing and holding the people you love, it’s so worth the distance you travel to see them.
2. “I’m In Love With You”
This song perfectly describes that exhilarating, unforgettable moment in a relationship where you want to tell your partner you’re in love with them. Healy comically illustrates how nerve-wracking this moment is by explaining how his heart beats so fast that he feels like he needs a second one. The lyrics paint a picture of how this conversation might go, such as how someone might say the line, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to say to you, baby.” This song makes me picture that movie moment where two people are falling in love, eager to let the other person know, hearts beating a mile a minute, and all the nerves, it’s just too cute! The repetition of the words, “I’m in love with you” in the chorus really expresses the excitement brought to a relationship after anticipating this moment so greatly, and, as I see it, how you want to say those words a thousand times after it is finally said!
3. “All I Need To Hear”
Okay, this one is a bit of a sad one, but it’s such a beautiful song. The lyrics in “All I Need To Hear” describe the desire to be told that you are loved by that one special person in your life. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you’ve been told a hundred times, because an I love you from your person is incomparable to anything else. The second chorus goes, “’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 I need to hear.” This is my favorite part of the song. It reminds me of the moments when the world around you fades away, and the only thing that matters at the moment is just you and the person you love.
Being Funny In A Foreign Language has such a comforting vibe, and I love how the album has a different feel to it in comparison to the previous albums, and yet, you can still tell it is full of The 1975’s classic sound. I’m obsessed with this album all the way through, I don’t think there is one skippable song! Add some of these songs to your playlist for your fall car rides if you’re in the mood for some laid-back tunes.
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