Press Darlings
Adam and the Ants Lyrics

The song "Press Darlings" by Adam and the Ants is a commentary on the relationship between the media and the public figures they cover. The lyrics suggest that the media are quick to judge and criticize, but they are also easily manipulated by those in the spotlight. In the first verse, the singer admits that they are "guilty" and "beyond hope," suggesting that they are aware of their flaws but are also unapologetic. The chorus repeats the phrase "press darlings" several times, implying that the people being discussed are only in the public eye because of the media's attention. The singer claims to "depress" the press darlings, implying that they have power over the media's portrayal of them.

In the second verse, the singer claims to be an outsider who does not "play your little games," again suggesting that they are uninterested in pleasing the media. The phrase "Vaseline gang" is ambiguous but may refer to a group of people who are slippery and difficult to pin down, or who move with ease in unconventional spaces. The second chorus repeats the phrase "press darlings" several more times, and the bridge introduces a new idea - that evil is the food of genius, but there are not many demons around. This may suggest that the media are quick to label people as evil or demon-like, but few people actually fit that stereotype. The bridge also introduces the idea of fashion, suggesting that passion ends in fashion, and that Nick Kent and Bushell are the best-dressed men in town. This could be a nod to the idea that the media often focus on superficial aspects of people's lives, rather than their talents or ideas.

In the final verse, the singer questions whether they are really all that different from the press darlings they criticize. They claim that "there are no boxes for us," implying that they do not fit neatly into any preconceived categories. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "press darlings," followed by the parenthetical aside "and they tell fibs!" This final line may be a nod to the fact that the media sometimes twist or exaggerate the truth to create more sensationalist stories.