Lyrical Spotlight: The Chainsmokers, ‘Memories…Do Not Open’

Hit-making duo The Chainsmokers drop an enjoyable debut album with ‘Memories…Do Not Open.’ Here are some of the notable lyrical moments from the effort.   

The big moment has come for The Chainsmokers – the release of their highly-anticipated debut album, Memories…Do Not Open.  After numerous hit singles – most notably “Closer” (Collage EP) – Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart drop their first full-length. The duo ran a phenomenal promo campaign ahead of Memories, issuing singles “Paris,” “Something Just Like This” (featuring Coldplay), and most recently, “The One.”  All in all, Memories…Do Not Open proves to be an enjoyable debut.  Here are some of the notable lyrical moments from the effort.

“The One”

1.

“You know, I’m sorry / I won’t make it to your party / Got caught up in my own selfishness / It won’t let me be a part of this.” – “The One,” Verse 1 

Commentary: Throughout the course of “The One,” the is relationship is essentially over. Taggart, who portrays a teenager, signals his immaturity and romantic ineptness early on.

2. 

“Down and down we go / We’ll torch this place we know / Before one of us takes a chance / And breaks this, I won’t be the one / No, I won’t be the one.” – “The One,” Chorus

Commentary: Again, the relationship isn’t working, but both refuse to officially end it.

3.  

“I know it’s pathetic / F*ck it, yeah, I said it/ Tried to tell it like it is / There’s a chance that I’ll regret it, so…” “The One,” Verse 2

Commentary: Even as emotional as Taggart is dropping the f-bomb here, he – rather his character – still refuses to end something that has already ended.

“Break Up Every Night”

4. 

“Change your mind, every night, like the seasons / You’re insatiable.” – “Break Up Every Night,” Verse 1

Commentary: Merriam-Webster defines insatiable as being “incapable of being satisfied.”  That’s how Drew feels about his boo…fictionally of course.

5. 

“And I know you say you want it now / Give me the runaround / Which one am I with now? / She’s got seven personalities, everyone’s a tragedy.” “Break Up Every Night,” Pre-Chorus

Commentary: The girlfriend can’t decide what she wants – it changes every night.  Sometimes she wants to break up, other times she wants to give it up.

6.

“She wants to break up every night / She wants to break up every night / Don’t wanna wait until she finally decides to feel it / She wants to break up every night / Then tries to f*ck me back to life / How can I help it if I like the way she makes me feel it?” – “Break Up Every Night,” Chorus

Commentary: More of the same.  Sometimes she wants to call it quits, other times, he reaps the benefits.

“Bloodstream”  

7.

“I’m f*cked up, I’m faded / I’m so complicated / Those things that I said / They were so overrated / But I-I-I…, yeah, I meant it / Oh yeah, I…, really f*cking meant it.” – “Bloodstream,” Chorus

Commentary: Taggart is drunk and high. Because he is f*cked up and faded, the things he’s saying are questionable.  Despite this, he claims he “meant it.” For extra emphasis, he throws f*cking in front of it, numerous times.

 8. 

“I’ve been reading books of old / the legends and the myths…/ And clearly, I don’t see myself upon that list.” – “Something Just Like This,” Verse 1 (Chris Martin)

Commentary: Chris Martin is no superhero, at least compared to who he lists in the first verse.

9.

“But she said, where’d you wanna go? / How much you wanna risk? / I’m not looking for somebody / with some superhuman gifts / Some superhero / Some fairytale bliss / Just something I can turn to / Somebody I can kiss.” – “Something Just Like This,” Pre-Chorus (Chris Martin) 

Commentary: Basically, Chris Martin is looking for love.  He doesn’t need anything fictional or fake – “Just something I can turn to / Somebody I can kiss.”

“Paris”

9. 

“We were staying in Paris / to get away from your parents / and I thought, ‘Wow, / If I could take this in a shot right now / I don’t think that we could work this out…” – “Paris,” Verse 1

 Commentary: Situational.  Part of the narrative constructed by The Chainsmokers. Next.

10. 

“If we go down then we go down together / they’ll say you could do anything / they’ll say that I was clever / if we go down then we go down together / we’ll get away with everything / let’s show them that we are better.” – “Paris,” Chorus

Commentary: Young, dumb love.  Dangerous. Risky.  Again, fits the narrative of Memories…Do Not Open.

“Honest” 

11.

“It’s 5 A.M. and I’m on the radio / I’m supposed to call you, but I don’t know what to say at all / And there’s this girl, she wants me to take her home / She don’t really love me though, I’m just on the radio.” – “Honest,” Verse 1 

Commentary: Essentially, youth is what inhibiting a committed relationship.  Fame also plays a role here, with its many temptations.  The protagonist just might hook up with a groupie, even if he knows she’s inauthentic.

12. 

“We were so young when we thought that we knew how to love / Fought about anything… / But we just gotta own that sh*t.” – “Young,” Verse 1

Commentary: The song title says it all. They are too young to love.

13.

“We both know I go too far like when I wrecked your car / And almost fought your father when he pushed me in the yard / And all those nights we snuck out, like to meet up at the bar / Don’t worry, my love, we’re learning to love / But it’s hard when you’re young.” – “Young,” Chorus

Commentary: Immaturity and dysfunction are written all over the relationship. Youthfulness is the cause for a lack of success.

14, 

“Run into the bright lights most nights, now or never / Always and forever the last day alive / The last day alive.” – “Last Day Alive,” Chorus

Commentary: Deep.  Live life to the fullest essentially. Fin.

The Chainsmokers • Memories…Do Not Open • Columbia • Release: 4.7.17

Photo Credit: Columbia