Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis

Album: Deja Entendu (2003)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is about lead singer Jesse Lacey's fear that he will one day burn out or fall from grace.
  • Diego Maradona is an Argentine soccer player who led his country to the World Cup in 1986, faltered due to drug use. Elvis Presley had a brilliant singing career before drugs and health problems took their toll. Both men had spectacular talents but lost it all. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Matt - Wiltshire, England, for above 2

Comments: 34

  • Jaun from ArizonaWell now we know what this song is about.
  • Ruth from United StatesIn response to John, it's called interpretation for a reason. Yes, the song is about Jesse's fear of falling from grace, however that does not merit you to be a dick about their interpretation. Instead of being so hurt about it, why not use examples from the lyrics to prove why.
  • John from Watertown, SdI think it's kind of crazy how people are like "the biggest of fans" of Brand New but most of them can't even contemplate what most of his songs are even about. Jesse is just the type of musician that never writes down words on a piece of paper and be as simple as most BN fans make them out to be. Everyone who listens to this musical genius needs to think much deeper and try to enter the mind of Jesse Lacey, I don't think he will ever write a song where the meaning just jumps out at you. By the way, this song is definitely not about taking advantage of an intoxicated girl at the bar, so about enough of that theory.
  • Nate from Fair Grove, MoIn response to the three comments at the bottom of the page: Oh it probably could be about an idiot taking advantage of a drunk girl, but interviews and general statements made by the songwriter himself sorta disprove your little, "theory." And what Seem is describing is a pretty good explanation of what falling from grace is. A song's meaning isn't going to jump out at you, especially in something from brand new. It's called symbolism. Read a book. Study trancendetalism. Animal Farm isn't just a cute story about farm animals and the whole transparent eyeball thing is just a good description of what they experience. I thought I would point that out before you go and scratch your brain on that. Someone with as much talent and as clever as Jesse Lacey isn't gonna just write a song about trying to, "get some." He is not describing Elvis or Maradona's fall, but his own. Think of it as his fear of what will happen to him. He will burn out and lose his ability to actually feel these things. No longer caring about strict morals, but his world becoming the decision to, "sin, or spend the night all alone." It could be a description of his feared downfall, or a description of what he fears will become of him should this happen. Think about it as a whole song. Listen to how morose and smothered it feels. It's like the sound of his emotional state pouring and swirling down the drain. And if you think this is about picking up a drunk girl and taking advantage of her because you can relate to that, then imagine that he is afraid of becoming as heartless for someone elses well-being and compromising some girl's position by giving her confused signals of false love just to have a means to your own ends, like you.
  • Chris from Preston, United Kingdomits still gotta be said, he WAS in TBS forget the feud or when it happened etc the fact is that at high school Jesse Lacey and john nolan where in a band with guitarist and drummer from brand new Lacey then had a BRIEF spell in TBS and is on the summer stars track
  • Anthony from Rogersville, Tni think i could possibly be a female taking advantage of a guy idk but all of Brand news songs can be interpreted many ways... thats why they are the best.
  • Jake from New York, NyI really thing the song isn't just about taking advantage of a drunk girl, this is a girl who he knows and has had possibly a very close relation to at one point or several times, but has probably had his heart broken by more than once and finally realized that he didn't need her or love her like he thought, and almost to get back at her, or just even because he knows he can he takes advantage of her.
  • Catie from Woodstock, GaJesse Lacey was never in Taking Back Sunday!
    Him and the Old lead singer of TBS hated each other because Jesse and the old lead singer were best friends then Lacey's girlfriend cheated on him with old lead singer. Thats where the some Seventy Times Seven song comes from, and the song from TBS "There's no 'i' in Team"
  • Matthew from Stockton, United Kingdomthis song is about someone (maybe Jesse) taking advantage of a drunk girl, but the person doing it doesn't feel good about it 'i almost feel sorry for what im gonna do' so i think the narrator of the song dosent want to fall from grace and do this, but he cant stop
  • Stephanie from Moreno Valley, Cawhat i want to know is why people are tlaking aobut taking back sunday and jesse lacey and john on her if you want to tlak and argue about that then go to seventy times seven song where everyone else puts there opinios on this is Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis and has nothing to do with tbs. i know im being such a Hypocrite and writing aobut it to but im hoping this is the last one
  • Tony from Carmel, InJESSE LACEY WAS IN BRAND NEW. he played with the band on the 'TAKING BACK SUNDAY EP' he is in 2 of the songs I believe, but was not in the band at the time it was released, so his face is NOT featured on its cover with the rest of the band.
  • Tony from Carmel, In***JESSE LACEY WAS IN TAKING BACK SUNDAY*** (just a correction to my first line below)
  • Cherie from Kingsville, Canadaokay well first off, i've look at a lot of stuff that was wrote about the feud between the two bands.
    and not one of them stated that jesse lacey(brand new) was ever in taking back sunday.
    and it never says it on the one thing where it states all of taking back sunday's previous and past members.

    so i do not believe he was in taking back sunday.
  • Gary from Shelton, WaWell Jesse said at there show I went to in july of 06, that he was hanging out with a Female friend of his one night at his Place and he was Joking with her about guys that go to the Bar just to pick up on Drunk girls. He Said that it realy is sad and it was just a joke when he starting Writing the song. I guess Ladies night (when all the girls drink for free) Is just a way to lure is that kinda Guy...
  • Heather from Omaha, Nei think this is what guys actually do. lol except in this song he actually feels bad.
  • Chris from Bolton, EnglandI know that Jesse has said in interviews and so on that this song is about burning out under the spotlight of global fame - but how can we - their fans - relate to that? It's better to make your own interpretation of complex songs like this. I interpret it (my view on it) as such:
    A guy goes to a bar with no intention of getting laid. He has a bit too much to drink all the while getting friendly with some girl. Evil creeps in with alcohol and his morals drop. He flashes the cash and drops in the chat up lines to get her into bed. As she they get more drunk he starts to take advantage.
    It's a classic example of alcohol fuelled immorality and brilliantly explains - almost excuses - the dangers of young girls getting too drunk
  • Lindsey from Painesville, OhActaully, the the title "Me Vs Maradona Vs Elivis" refers to a dream Jesse Lacey had, in which he was in a 3-way battle with the two.
  • Erin from Henderson, Kythe song uses the "drunk girl being taken advantage of" as a parallel to his views of the industry. if you've ever been a girl like this, you know exactly what is being stated...you are completely burnt out and down after a night such as one of these...and you never want to do it again. what he is saying is that he never wants to feel that way. that was just my interpretation...this song is true and lovely.
  • Liz from The Town That Never Sleeps, NvThis Band Has Like Zillions of Theorys On There Songs
    I Originaly Thought This Song Was About Taking Advantage Of Someone Whose Intoxicated But Now Im Not Sure My Thinking Was Right...
    -Liz
  • Jawni from Colchester, Ilgives me chills.
  • Nicky from Bournemoth, Englandi think this song could be personal to the singer, i agree with jesse's comment in that its about fear of burning out. For me, i think it refers to the way that society feels it has to make some sort of a relationship somehow, by any means possible. Maybe jesse, the singer feels that people's commitments to others are false: "let you fall for every empty word i say". Deep down people arent happy with their way of doing it "i almost feel sorry for what im gonna do" but they do so regardless. I see it as an expression of society's fear of being alone. I have often thought about a similar thing myself. This song is the most articulate, comprehensive and poetic way of expressing it, nobody could have done it better. its fantastic.
  • Eric from Stockton, EnglandThis Song is a well written song, which does describe how Jesee will cope with being famous and how he will spend and take care of what he does with the money he gets. He wants to stay away from drugs and doesnt want to end up like Maradona and Elvis who wasted their talents on Drugs after having such a successful career.
  • Jessie from San Francisco, Cataking advantage of a drunk girl would be the shallow literal meaning of the song but thats not what its about. ive seen an interview on tv with jesse lacey and he specifically said it was about a fear of ending up burned out and hopeless.
    jesse does that alot his lyrics seem to point to one thing but its just metaphorical. thats what poetrys all about.
  • Ross from Philadelphia, Payeah I agree with Vanessa, but I'm referring to the line that says "You're using all your looks that you've thrown from the start, if you let me have my way I swear I'll tear you apart."

    Yeah good song, Brand Nizzle is the shizzle
  • Jenndogg from Bestford, MaYeah I think everyone has awesome points or theories about this song. haha they all seem so reasonable! But I always thought the title referred to Jesse being like, compared to these 2 "heroes" and having/wanting to live up to them.
  • Linsey from Naperville, IlI will lie awake
    Lie for fun and fake the way I hold you
    Let you fall for every empty word I say
    ENOUGH SAID! AMAZING!
  • Anna from Louisville, KyYeah what the other people said...It sounds like he's trying to get her drunk so he can use her. And obviously the girl has been known to be taken advantage of "And your scared, it's ladies night, all the girls drink for free"
    thats just the message i get from the song
  • Bob from Antrim, Irelandi think carlos has got it
  • Carlos from Mexico City, Mexicoummm maybe the "drunk girl" is Jesse. And it's just drugs and alcohol and this "fall from grace" that is singing the song... I mean you could look a it from that point of view... Drugs are taking a "drunk" (with fame, possibly, as happened to "El Diego" Maradona or Elvis) Jesse out to the car and out of the bar and out of his clothes (referring to his principles)... think of it, trying hard to be cute, I almost feel sorry for what I'm gonna do... Even as if Jesse's the girl and the abuser is a record label or something... touring... dunno. Talking about how fragile Jesse is and comparing this frailness to Maradona and Elvis.. Obviously he doesn't want to end up like them (Jesse even has said it is his nightmare). Maybe from that point of view, the title is absolutely right with what Matt above has said.
  • Mike from Lodi, CaThis is me and my awesome g/f's band. This band describes everything a couple would go through, the good times and the bad

    I love you amy!
  • Samantha from Lakeland, FlThis is the best band in the world and you know it Amanda B. and Steven B. hahaha lover birds
  • Seem from Troutdale, OrI totally agree with Vanessa... This song is obviously explaining a girl being taken advantage of. I don't see any references toward "falling from grace" lol, whatever that is. But heres a possibility, both Elvis and Maradona led talents but had horrible lives due to what they did, but they both did different things to make it horrible. So maybe its comparing this final guy to them both.... But it sure isn't about falling from grace.
  • Meg from Visalia, Cai agree with Vanessa. And you could also take both Maradona's and Elvis's fame and how they could have abused it to take advantage of whoever they want. So the song could be about a guy with no fame trying to get some but he is always fighting against those with popularity or fame or more confidence or whatever you want to make of it. I don't know... they all seem lagit.
  • Vanessa from Barstow, Ca Are you totally sure it's about burning out? To me it kind of sounds as though it's about taking advantage of someone while they're intoxicated.In the song it makes plenty of references to drinking and that kind of stuff. Here are a few of the lines that support my "theory" as my brother calls it:

    "Desperate desires and unadmirable plans/My tongue will taste the gin and malicious intent/ Bring you back to the bar/Get you out of the cold/A sober straight face/gets you out of your clothes."

    "I will lie awake/Lie for fun and fake the way I hold you/Then you'll fall for every empty word I say."

    "You laugh at every word/trying hard to be cute/ I almost feel sorry for what I'm gonna do."

    There you have it. At least, that's what I think. I could be wrong.
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