“Adult” is a loaded thing to call someone in this day and age, since adults have basically wrecked our planet. But for Chromeo, to be an adult doesn’t mean being a cog in the square world’s machinery. Rather, it signifies evolution, sophistication, and nuance. Aging like wine or cheese, not like fruit or milk. While we do so, how much of our groove do we actually choose to hold on to? Chromeo says: “all of it.” As you already know (unless you’ve been living in a vibes vacuum since the early 2000s), Chromeo is the paramount funk band of our time. Friends since childhood, Dave and Pee have built an empire of soigné, danceable, and intelligent music over the course of two decades. Few duos can claim this kind of psychic togetherness and evergreen staying power. Really, who else? One must venture into the stratosphere to find precedents. And now that Dave’s double-breasted suits are popping and Pee’s turtlenecks are in effect mode, it’s safe to say that we can rely on Chromeo to stick around for years to come.
Wait, do you want to hear something really adult? Try this on for size: the anguish of late-stage capitalist monogamy is very much a thing. Here, we come to the essence of Adult Contemporary, the most lyrically cohesive Chromeo opus to date: it’s a 14-track meditation on mature relationships. This is perhaps best conveyed in the song “BTS,” which sounds like a classic Chromeo funk jam but, as is often the case with these guys, hides a deeper message. An ode to just going to sleep (“rest can be Better Than Sex”), it’s about that moment in an affair of the heart when you can just say, “Baby, this week was a doozy and I really just need to crash.” How real is that? Or there’s a song like “Personal Effects,” in which Dave reminisces over a partner after seeing her phone charger left at his house. Modern romance, indeed. Throughout the album, songs function like short stories, each a variation on what it’s like to be in love in 2024 – from joyful commitment to crippling co-dependency, from the platonic to the profane. It’s no picnic…yet lo and behold, it can also be hilarious, and Dave and Pee tackle it all in their signature straight-faced style. Lest we forget the core Chromeo value: there is no such thing as irony.
Onto that other word. “Contemporary.” An interesting choice for a band who has always been equally of-the-moment and openly indebted to its ancestors. But in an era when everything is available all the time, seamlessly melding together the new and the old might just be the most contemporary act an artist can commit. Chromeo offers us a singularity of funk, with music more elegant and considered than ever before. Take for instance the lush horn arrangements on “Words With You” and “Lost And Found” or the banging electro-synths in “(I Don’t Need A) New Girl.” This is Chromeo in full two-man studio muso mode, danceable and delicate, simultaneously wielding deft live instrumentation and a relentless four-on-the-floor kick drum that scans the entire record. For the first time in a while, it really is a tandem affair. The previous albums were very much about collaborating. Getting other people involved and going big. Adult Contemporary is more ambitious specifically because it revolves solely around two besties at the top of their game, doing absolutely everything on their own. Hence a deeply intimate feel, with Dave and Pee accomplishing two things at once: getting back to basics in terms of method while also expanding the songwriting and atmosphere. The Chromeo blueprint of maximum funk earnestness sits front and center.
So with that in mind, we invite you to join not only our contemporary times but also the ranks of the grown. Contrary to our infantilizing culture – which would prefer you stunted –, adulthood is a blast. And with a soundtrack such as Adult Contemporary, it’s a place of pleasure, discernment, groove, and comradeship. Come now, dip your toe into the infinity pool of maturity. You’ll find yourself, before too long, happy to evolve funkily alongside Chromeo.
Don't Turn The Lights On
Chromeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When she's gone to a better place
And loneliness will hurt you if you can't get through the night
Then the moment starts to fade
And dawn is just an hour away
I feel she's watching over and it gets me through the night
It makes me wonder what you'd say
When I watched you do it (all night)
I'm thinking back to what we'd share
In many ways I'm already there
And I watched you do it
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Another walk to take
Another lonesome evening spent without you there
And only those who hurt you
Will say patience is a virtue
When it's been so long
And I can't think about it
No, I can't figure it out
It's just how weird you're feeling
Every time that you're appearing
Leaves no room for doubt
It makes me wonder what you'd say
It's taking me back to the month of May
When I watched you do it (all night)
I'm thinking back to what we'd shared
In many ways I'm already there
And I watched you do it
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
In Chromeo's song, "Don't Turn The Lights On," the lyrics speak about the singer's longing for their past relationship. The song opens with the singer lamenting the absence of their former partner and the pain that loneliness can bring. However, they find comfort in believing that their ex-lover is watching over them. They recall shared memories and experiences, trying to connect with their lost love in any way possible. The chorus emphasizes the desire for intimacy in the dark, perhaps suggesting that they feel more comfortable and vulnerable when not exposed by light. The second verse again refers to the singer's longing and the difficulty of enduring without their previous lover.
The song's upbeat melody contrasts with the melancholy lyrics, conveying a sense of nostalgia and almost desperation. However, the dance-like tune also emphasizes the singer's underlying hope for reconciliation; they are still longing and imagining what it would be like to be together again. In many ways, the song seems to describe the experience of living with the memory of a past relationship, the longing to return to that time, and the difficulty of moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
There must be another way
Feeling lost and alone after losing someone, the singer wonders if there is a different way to cope with the pain.
When she's gone to a better place
The person they lost has passed away and is in a better place now.
And loneliness will hurt you if you can't get through the night
The loneliness of being without that person can be painful if one cannot find a way to make it through the night.
Then the moment starts to fade
Over time, the intensity of the pain begins to fade.
And dawn is just an hour away
The morning is fast approaching and bringing a new day.
I feel she's watching over and it gets me through the night
The singer feels that the person they lost is watching over them, which provides some comfort and helps them get through the night.
It makes me wonder what you'd say
The singer thinks about the person they lost and wonders what they would say in this situation.
It's taking me back to the month of May
Memories of the person they lost are taking the artist back in time to a specific month.
When I watched you do it (all night)
The artist remembers watching the person they lost doing something all night long.
I'm thinking back to what we'd share
The artist reminisces about things they shared with the person they lost.
In many ways I'm already there
In their memories and thoughts, the singer feels like they are already with the person they lost.
And I watched you do it
Again, the artist remembers watching the person they lost do something.
Don't turn the lights on
The singer wants to keep the lights off because they want to see the person they lost in the darkness.
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
The singer wants to see the person they lost in the dark because it feels like a more intimate way to connect with them.
Another walk to take
The singer is out for a walk.
Another lonesome evening spent without you there
The artist is spending yet another lonely evening without the person they lost.
And only those who hurt you
People who have been hurt before can empathize with the pain of losing someone.
Will say patience is a virtue
When dealing with pain and loss, it's important to be patient as time can heal wounds.
When it's been so long
When the pain of loss has been going on for a long time, it can be difficult to keep being patient.
And I can't think about it
The artist is finding it difficult to think about the pain of loss and is trying to distract themselves.
No, I can't figure it out
The pain of loss is confusing and hard to make sense of.
It's just how weird you're feeling
The strange and confusing emotions that come with loss can be overwhelming.
Every time that you're appearing
The person they lost feels like they are appearing in the singer's thoughts and memories.
Leaves no room for doubt
The memories and feelings of the person they lost are so strong that there is no doubt in the artist's mind about their presence.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Macklovitch, Patrick Gemayel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@KatVonMJ
There must be another way
When she's gone to a better place
And loneliness will hurt you if you can't get through the night
Then the moment starts to fade
And dawn is just an hour away
I feel she's watching over and it gets me through the night
It makes me wonder what you'd say
It's taking me back to the month of May
When I watched you do it (All night)
I'm thinking back to what we'd share
In many ways I'm already there
And I watched you do it
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Another walk to take
Another lonesome evening spent without you there
And only those who hurt you
Will say patience is a virtue
And it's been so long
And I can't think about it
No, I can't figure it out
It's just the way you're feeling
Every time that you're appealing
Leaves no room for doubt
It makes me wonder what you'd say
It's taking me back to the month of May
When I watched you do it (All night)
I'm thinking back to what we'd shared
In many ways I'm already there
And I watched you do it
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
Don't turn the lights on
'Cause tonight I want to see you in the dark
@ohmbettafish323
Almost a fucking decade, and I STILL can't get this song out of my head.
@jackdavis4851
Definitely a decade mate, we in the same boat
@luisgugustavo
Yep, 11 years after it and I still listen to it frequently hahaha
@CadgerChristmasLightShow
DONT TURN THE LIGHTS ON *Dun dun dun*... I look up this video from time to time when this pops into my head lol
@felisbertocambuta1877
Try all you want, this song will be in your head forever 😂😂😂
@MRnofail
RIGHT? I've heard this song all of like, once, and cannot get it out!
@gabrielgildin2164
One of the fifa’s best songs ever, although the video scares me a little bit 😂😂
@eloi0260
Truth
@free_re_fells
Literally got into Chromeo because of Fifa
@jpd913
Your icon is the wrong color