Album: Moral Panic (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song tells the story of someone drawn to, yet disgusted by, social media. In the first verse, singer Conor Mason introduces us to the flawed individual's revulsion for the Internet.

    I love the night, but not the stars
    The fame suckers in their block-long cars


    The person quits social media, but by the third verse he's getting withdrawal symptoms. He resorts to drugs and alcohol to ward off the depression, but he doesn't get the same fix.

    I get some pills, but not some help
    From love junkies in their private hell
    I wanna know euphoria
    Green light, red wine, and I don't feel fine


    By the bridge, the individual has relapsed and he's back on the net surfing, posting and liking.

    You'll see this on the internet
    Go on, press like and make my clicks spike
    I lost the plot or maybe two
  • Conor Mason sings the first part of the song in a different style than the one he normally uses. He explained to Apple Music: "At the time we were heavily influenced by hip-hop and R&B and that breathy, intimate vocal was something we'd wanted to try for a while. It felt fitting with the music and the lyric. Reading that verse, it's so dark - it's like your inner demons coming out and you're talking about them. You're not going to shout at them, you're going to creep them out."
  • Mason, guitarist Joe Langridge-Brown, and guitarist and keyboardist Dominic Craik wrote this song with songwriters Jim Irvin and Julian Emery. Irvin and Emery co-penned five of the Moral Panic tracks. Their other collaborations together include Lissie's "When I'm Alone" and Simple Plan's "Astronaut."
  • Mike Crossey produced the song along with the rest of Moral Panic. Crossey, who helmed the Southend-on-Sea five-piece's previous record, has also worked with Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, and Wolf Alice.
  • Released as the fifth single from Moral Panic, the song ties in with the theme running through the record of the rapidly deteriorating state of the world in 2020. As well as musing on anxiety around social media on this song, Mason also reflects on such topics as climate change, political chaos and an overall desire to switch off and escape.
  • Glaswegian producer, composer and performer Wuh Oh dropped a stripped-down remix on December 4, 2020, Wuh Oh's version takes the track down a more sinister spiral, distorting Mason's vocal delivery in the process.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"They're Playing My Song

Wilder's hit "Break My Stride" had an unlikely inspiration: a famous record mogul who rejected it.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

La La Brooks of The Crystals

La La Brooks of The CrystalsSong Writing

The lead singer on "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me," La La explains how and why Phil Spector replaced The Crystals with Darlene Love on "He's A Rebel."

Jonathan Cain of Journey

Jonathan Cain of JourneySongwriter Interviews

Cain talks about the divine inspirations for "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully."

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.