Major System Error

Album: Knowing What You Know Now (2017)
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Songfacts®:

  • The song title was inspired by something that the wife of Knowing What You Know Now producer Larry Hibbert said. Guitarist Sam McIntyre explained to Kerrang:

    "We were writing with Larry when his wife texted him. She works in banking and she said something along the lines of 'I can see a major system error,' and something about that phrase stuck with me."
  • Guitarist Jack Bottomley and vocalist Becca MacIntyre see this song with different perspectives. Jack thinks it's about the state of the world, where as Becca sees it as a song about failing relationships. The Marmozets singer explained her interpretation to Kerrang:

    "There's always someone in your life who isn't doing too well and not doing anything to help themselves but there's only so much you can do for them. When you see a major issue, you get frustrated inside, like 'C'mon!' And this is almost like having a bit of a shout out at somebody. When that kind of thing happens, sometimes you just have to break the relationship up completely because it's not going to be any good for you."

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