“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.
Tenderoni
Chromeo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So tell a friend.
It's Chrome-, It's Chrome-, It's Chrome-
O-O-O-O-O
Until the end.
Until the end.
[CHORUS x2]
Baby we go side by side.
Me and you,
Tell me what we're gonna do.
No matter what I came here to do.
No matter what you came here to say.
We really ain't got nowhere to go
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
No matter what I came here to do.
No matter what you came here to say.
We really ain't got nowhere to go
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
[Chorus x2]
For sure if i tell you how to do my dance,
Baby, then you'll let me get in those pants.
For sure if i tell you how to do my dance,
Baby, then you'll let me get in those pants.
Cause you're my Tenderoni
Cause you're my Tenderoni
Can't fight the feeling or get shut down
She let me slide enough
Can't fight the feeling or get shut down
She'll always be my
Tenderoni
No matter what I came here to do.
No matter what you came here to say.
We really ain't got nowhere to go
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
The song "Tenderoni" by Chromeo is about a confident and self-assured man who is trying to woo his love interest. The first few lines of the song urge the listeners to tell a friend that Chromeo is back again. The repetition of "It's Chrome-" and "O-O-O-O-O" creates a catchy and upbeat rhythm. The singer assures his lover that they will stick together "until the end," conveying a sense of security and commitment.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the bond between the two individuals. The use of the phrase "side by side" highlights the close proximity of the two, while the questioning of "what we're gonna do" suggests a sense of uncertainty about their future. The lyrics "No matter what I came here to do / No matter what you came here to say / We really ain't got nowhere to go / Cause you're my Tenderoni" convey the idea that the two are happy just being together, without the need for any specific plans or destinations.
The final lines of the song reveal the playful and flirtatious nature of the song. The singer suggests that his lover will give in to him if he teaches her how to do his dance, implying a physical connection. The repeated use of "Cause you're my Tenderoni" emphasizes the singer's affection and attraction towards his romantic interest. Overall, "Tenderoni" is a fun and lighthearted song that conveys the singer's feelings towards his lover.
Line by Line Meaning
We are back again,
We have returned and are present once more
So tell a friend.
Spread the word to others about our return
It's Chrome-, It's Chrome-, It's Chrome-
We are Chromeo, we are Chromeo, we are Chromeo
O-O-O-O-O
Vocalizations with no particular meaning
Until the end.
We will be present until the very end
You and I,
Us, as a pair or team
Baby we go side by side.
We are together and always by each other's side
Me and you,
Us, as a pair
Tell me what we're gonna do.
Let's figure out what action we will take next
No matter what I came here to do.
Regardless of my original intentions for coming here
No matter what you came here to say.
Regardless of your original intentions for coming here
We really ain't got nowhere to go
We have nowhere else to be
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
Because you are my significant other/partner
For sure if i tell you how to do my dance,
If I instruct you on how to dance like me
Baby, then you'll let me get in those pants.
You will be more likely to sleep with me
Can't fight the feeling or get shut down
I cannot resist the attraction or risk getting rejected
She let me slide enough
She has forgiven me for past mistakes
She'll always be my
She will always hold a special place in my heart and life
Tenderoni
My significant other/partner
No matter what I came here to do.
Regardless of my original intentions for coming here
No matter what you came here to say.
Regardless of your original intentions for coming here
We really ain't got nowhere to go
We have nowhere else to be
Cause you're my Tenderoni.
Because you are my significant other/partner
[Chorus x2]
Repeat of the chorus
Contributed by Sarah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@joshbits
I sing this to my dog but I replace tenderoni with the word pupperoni. He doesn't get the joke.
@Pigsawjanet
He does get it, he's just sick of your shit Josh.
@CaesarCapone
Oh my god. I heard this song for the first time 3 nights ago, and I've been doing the exact same thing!!!
@timgillihanfan5945
Love this!!😂
@OrganOwner
Chromeo, if somehow you are reading this message, know that I love your music.
@KyleHaleInTheCut
One of the most creative music videos of all time
@BlueDraEv
the amount of views on this video is unbelievable how can people miss this,over covers these days..
@NationOfMasturbation
'Cause you're my tenderoni.
@johnnyv673
hahahahaha
@creepermyeeper
Yeah, When i heard it on the album i thought it was very popular