45 (A Matter of Time)

Album: Order In Decline (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This ardent rock anthem represents frontman Deryck Whibley's honest opinions concerning about the current state of the world in the aftermath of the election of President Trump.
  • Asked by Rock Sound magazine about the political nature of the song's lyrics, Whibley explained it's not a political record, but more of a personal expression of his feelings. "I'm not really speaking about specific things," he said. "I'm not talking about necessarily policies and, like, immigration. I'm not trying to change the world or change any policies. I'm just saying, 'Eh, he's not my kind of guy.'"

    Whibley added that his decision to address his feelings about Trump in a song wasn't exactly new territory for Sum 41. (They were previously vocal about George Bush on tracks such as "We're All To Blame" and "March of the Dogs").

    "The difference for this time is that I didn't necessarily want to go there," he said. "The music, for me, was to take me away from all that kind of stuff, but it just kept creeping into it somehow. And I just felt like, well, it's something in my subconscious that probably has to come out. So I just allowed it."
  • Whibley tells a certain sitting president in this song that "a number is all you are to me." Some people (especially those who live outside of America) will be unaware of the significance of the number 45 in the song title. It's a reference to those people who don't want to say Donald Trump's name or call him the President. Those people call him 45 instead, as he is the 45th president of the United States.
  • This was one of the first songs written for Order in Decline. Whibley told Kerrang he wrote it when he realized his anger at the polarizing political landscape of post-Trump America was taking over his music.

    "I tried to change the words to go somewhere else with it, but I had nothing and it didn't make any sense any other way," he added. "It was just bad, so I let it come out."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

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.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.