“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.
Play The Fool
Chromeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was in the mood for loving
And later that night when I fell asleep
I kept thinking of it
I saw her in the mirror
Thought I could get near enough to whisper
It's just one of those types of memories
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away (carried away)
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
A smoky atmosphere
I had nothing to fear
The night was young
A message loud and clear
She spoke into my ear
My heart was stung
So I looked to the left, looked to the right
Only one girl was outta sight
And I wanted her
It's just one of those types of memories
And I'm still thinking of her
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away (carried away)
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
And the sparks are flying, it's no wonder why
And the lights are shining bright enough
They're almost blinding my eye
I feel like my fate and your fate are combined
On the floor tonight
'Cause no one escapes from lust
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
Because, I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
The song "Play The Fool" by Chromeo is all about a hazy memory of a potential love affair. The lyrics are vivid and suggestive, with imagery that paints a picture of a smoky, sultry room. The song starts with the singer reminiscing about the night when he was in the mood for loving. He saw a girl that he was attracted to in the mirror and tried to get near enough to whisper to her. However, she disappeared into the night, leaving him to think about her.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, with the singer pleading not to be played for a fool and get carried away. He knows that he could end up fooling around with the girl that he can't get out of his head. The second verse talks about how the girl spoke into his ear, leaving him stunned. He looked around but couldn't find her. The singer knows that he still wants her, but he's trying not to be played for a fool.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the risks of getting too carried away with your emotions. It's a reminder to be careful with your heart and not to let your desire blind you to the potential consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
It's just one of those hazy memories
This is a vague recollection from the past.
I was in the mood for loving
I felt romantic and desirous.
And later that night when I fell asleep
I dreamed about what had happened.
I kept thinking of it
It stayed in my mind.
I saw her in the mirror
I looked at myself and imagined being near her.
Thought I could get near enough to whisper
I hoped to be close to her so I could speak privately.
It's just one of those types of memories
This is a common and recurring memory.
I could barely miss her
I almost touched her.
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
Please don’t let me do something foolish.
And get carried away (carried away)
And lose control.
Because I might end up fooling around with you
I could end up having a physical encounter with you.
A smoky atmosphere
The air was foggy and hazy.
I had nothing to fear
I was unafraid.
The night was young
It was still early in the evening.
A message loud and clear
What she said was very clear.
She spoke into my ear
She whispered to me.
My heart was stung
My emotions were aroused.
So I looked to the left, looked to the right
I searched for her presence.
Only one girl was outta sight
She was the only one missing.
And I wanted her
I desired her affection.
And the sparks are flying, it's no wonder why
I feel an electric attraction to you.
And the lights are shining bright enough
The illumination is intense.
They're almost blinding my eye
It’s almost too bright for me to handle.
I feel like my fate and your fate are combined
Our destinies feel intertwined.
On the floor tonight
Here and now, in this moment.
'Cause no one escapes from lust
We’re giving in to physical desire.
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
I could end up having an intimate encounter with you.
Yeah, I might end up fooling around with you
I could end up having an intimate encounter with you.
Because, I might end up fooling around with you
I’m aware I could have a physical encounter with you.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID MACKLOVITCH, PATRICK GEMAYEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MH 23
It's just one of those hazy memories
I was in the mood for loving
And later that night when I fell asleep
I kept thinking of it
I saw her in the mirror
Thought I could get near enough to whisper
It's just one of those types of memories
I could barely miss her
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away (carried away)
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
A smoky atmosphere
I had nothing to fear, the night was young
A message loud and clear
She spoke into my ear, my heart was stung
So I looked to the left, looked to the right
Only one girl was outta sight and I wanted her
It's just one of those types of memories
And I'm still thinking of her
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away (carried away)
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
And the sparks are flying it's no wonder why
And the lights are shining bright enough
They're almost blinding my eye
I feel like my fate and your fate are combined
On the floor tonight, cause no one escapes from lust
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
Excel On Fire
Why am I just now hearing about Chromeo? This is some good stuff!
Gamers Residence
I have literally wasted years....just found them.
kaygeee
That's what I'm sayin. I'm so late
Excel On Fire
@Douwe Venema that's some good stuff!
Chris Norman
+Oz du Soleil As they were still hammering/flogging all that pop BS.
Douwe Venema
+Oz du Soleil yes baby, it is, nice name you have... sunny, should look up nickodemus sun children, because.. that's my vibe
MH 23
It's just one of those hazy memories
I was in the mood for loving
And later that night when I fell asleep
I kept thinking of it
I saw her in the mirror
Thought I could get near enough to whisper
It's just one of those types of memories
I could barely miss her
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away (carried away)
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
A smoky atmosphere
I had nothing to fear, the night was young
A message loud and clear
She spoke into my ear, my heart was stung
So I looked to the left, looked to the right
Only one girl was outta sight and I wanted her
It's just one of those types of memories
And I'm still thinking of her
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away (carried away)
Don't let me play the fool, yeah
And get carried away
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
And the sparks are flying it's no wonder why
And the lights are shining bright enough
They're almost blinding my eye
I feel like my fate and your fate are combined
On the floor tonight, cause no one escapes from lust
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
Because I might end up fooling around with you
Yeah I might end up fooling around with you
S S P
Thanks very much!
Remz Roman
I just need to say that you guys put on a fantastic show here in Toronto a couple of weeks ago.. SOLD OUT!! Beautiful Happy Audience! I think it's safe to say TORONTO LOVES CHROMEO!!! :D
DaFunkBackToDaPunk
Is anyone else getting an ELO vibe from this? It's fantastic!