Major System Error

Album: Knowing What You Know Now (2017)
Play Video

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."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Yacht Rock!

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."