My Type

Album: My Type EP (2014)
Charted: 34
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Songfacts®:

  • Los Angeles based Saint Motel originated when vocalist A/J Jackson joined forces with fellow Chapman University film student, guitarist Aaron Sharp. Later, bassist Chondrak "Dak" Lerdamornpong and drummer Greg Erwin joined to form the quartet.

    In this song, Jackson takes a self-deprecating look at his standards in a mate, explaining that his "type" has a pulse and is breathing. "When I write lyrics, in general I like stuff that's a bit tongue-in-cheek, and this concept was initially based on a fight I was having with a lady friend at the time," Jackson said in his Songfacts interview. "It kind of stemmed with the idea that I'd never really thought too much about my type. And her idea was, that's because everyone's my type. I thought that was kind of funny."
  • A/J Jackson also directs the Saint Motel videos, and the "My Type" clip is a wild one, taking place in a swanky Los Angeles mansion where a '70s-style soiree is taking place. "The idea was a love triangle that's so bizarre and over the top, it's more like it's a love dodecagon," Jackson told us. "It's just very complicated and out of control. We wanted a timeless feel to it. A lot of the references we were bouncing back and forth were early 1970s Cadillac advertisements, classic car ads, and cigarette ads. And the pool, which later became a big element of the EP art, and the diver and the vibe that we're going with now. All these things mixed together with this mansion we found in Los Angeles that just is amazing. It really looks like that."
  • Prior to signing with Elektra Records in the US, Saint Motel inked a record deal overseas where this bright brass-based tune became a hit aided by a synch on EA Sports' FIFA 15 soundtrack. The song was included on their first Electra release, a four-song EP also called My Type.
  • Saint Motel made their late night TV debut on the Late Late Show, where they played this song. Greg Irwin admitted to Billboard magazine that the foursome were intimidated by one of the audience members, a certain Dave Grohl, who was a last-minute guest on the show. "It was like the sun," he said. "Don't look at it!!"
  • The song featured on the soundtrack of the Paper Towns movie. A/J Jackson told The Huffington Post: "We're very fortunate to be on any movie soundtrack, especially this one, because it has such a good reputation for cool music."

Comments: 2

  • Wolaverjs from FloridaI'd like to know specifically the meaning behind "I can't help myself but stare, Double check for double meanings."
  • Dan U from NcThis song was also featured in the 2015 movie "Mr. Right" with Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, as well as the TV show "The Blacklist" in season 5, episode 11.
see more comments

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