World I Used To Know

Album: Animals (2013)
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Songfacts®:

  • Ryan Star told Artist Direct the story of this song: "I had this idea," he said. "You're driving home for thanksgiving break from college, and you're back in that town you grew up in. Movies have been made of it. Everything seems different. It brings back those memories for you. There's a nostalgic sound to the song. There's an eighties thing going on in the music. There's that idea of 'The last time I was here, I was thinking this way.'"

    Star added: "It's not such a sad song, but the line, 'We wished for lots of things when we were seventeen and we're waiting for it now'—to me, that's the song. It's the honest song I can say. In the years of Facebook and Twitter, everybody's bragging about everything going on. The truth is I think we're all really discontent [Laughs]. We're looking at everyone else like, 'Am I really the only one who's not where I want to be?' It's not saying, 'I failed. I'm bitter. You fu--ing lied to me!' [Laughs] It's more like, 'I'm fu--ing ready, man. Where are you? I'm doing everything right.' I might know enough people out there who are working hard and waiting for that sign."
  • The song features guest vocals by Naya Rivera, who is best known for her portrayal of Santana Lopez on the Fox television series Glee.

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