Zen & The Art Of Dating

Album: Ensoulment (2024)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The comical "Zen & the Art of Dating" is a track written by The The mainman Matt Johnson and recorded for their 2024 album Ensoulment. The song is about online romance.
  • "Zen & the Art of Dating" is structured in a narrative style, presenting vignettes of different characters navigating the modern dating landscape. The song employs a mix of descriptive verses and a repetitive chorus that emphasizes the need for connection ("We need somebody tonight").
  • "Zen & the Art of Dating" reflects Johnson's observational and satirical take on modern dating culture rather than being directly autobiographical. He was in a relationship during the lead up to the release of Ensoulment in 2024.

    "I researched it by looking at various dating sites and got interested in how people talk about themselves... lie about themselves, and the shopping list of what they're looking for in a partner," he told Mojo magazine. "Committed, kind, clean, solvent..." The unreasonable expectations..."
  • The title is a play on Robert M. Pirsig's 1974 philosophical novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Eric Burdon

Eric BurdonSongwriter Interviews

The renown rock singer talks about "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.