Crywank started in 2009 with Jay Clayton attempting to do some folk-punk influenced acoustic music with no previous experience playing guitar. The first album "James is going to die soon" was inspired by a painful break up. Jay stated that "I wrote these songs out of frustration and sadness and they ended up making me feel a lot better, I hope they have a similar effect on you".
In 2012 Crywank released their second album 'Narcissist On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown'. Described as "a collection of paranoid songs mostly about me trying to understand my own sadness along with the concept of sadness as a whole. It was fueled by self help books and pot."
In late 2012 Dan Watson joined Crywank on percussion, and in early 2013 they released tour demos for their third album 'Tomorrow Is Nearly Yesterday And Everyday Is Stupid' which was released in October 2013.
In 2016 Jay and Dan began couch surfing to afford to be able to tour as much as possible. Over the next four years they performed over 500 shows in over 30 countries and released four albums.
Crywank announced their breakup following a world tour in 2019, alongside the album ‘fist me til your hand comes out my mouth’’ a huge departure in sound and the first release to include songwriting from Dan and explained the tense relationship between Jay and Dan that had developed over the years on the road.
Their breakup tour was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and the North American and European dates had to be rescheduled numerous times. During this time Jay was in a house fire, which led to the release of a solo Crywank album ‘Just Popping In To Say Hi’ that was written and recorded over three days.
Between 2022-2023 Crywank managed to continue their final tour and performed 100 shows in the USA and over 50 shows in the UK and Ireland, often with bass player Jules Noel (AKA Guard Petal). In 2024 it was announced that Crywank will no longer be breaking up and Jules would be joining the band.
The name Crywank comes from reclaiming a cruel nickname given to Jay during a period of depression. Jay has since said that if they knew how popular the band would have become they probably would’ve chosen a different name.
Love
Crywank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and now we just watch DVD boxsets,
wasting time together so we're not alone.
When I say I love you I really mean don't leave me,
as long as you stay I don't care if you believe me.
Lets deal with this companionship to make things easy.
Don't really know you, only what you've shown me.
Just let me own you and you can own me
We can pretend like we're happy, pretend like we're good
and others can envy our boundless love,
we will laugh because we tricked them,
we will laugh because we suck.
Endorphins are fading, the rush has died down
but convenience and loneliness keeps both of us around
we will turn off our brains when the other makes a sound.
World see us as a pair,
I don't really care
But you're my status,
so I will keep you there
We'd run away for someone more attractive
in our lives but in the meantime we'll decoate each others sides.
Love is fucking stupid and I hate you.
Don't really know you, only what you've shown me.
Just let me own you and you can own me
This is nothing more than a love affair with myselfstick around for the sake of my mental health.
The lyrics to Crywank's song Love in 2-3 paints a picture of a relationship that has evolved from passionate desire to convenience and companionship. The singer reminisces about the early days of their relationship, where they were always consumed by the desire to have sex with each other. But over time, passion has waned and they now spend their time watching DVD box sets together. Their relationship seems to be built on the foundation of their mutual fear of loneliness and they are willing to maintain this companionship for the sake of their mental health.
The singer's use of the phrase "This is nothing more than a love affair with myself" hints at a sense of detachment and selfishness in this relationship. It's not clear if the other person feels the same way about this arrangement. The singer is honest about their feelings, admitting that when they say "I love you", they actually mean "don't leave me". There's a feeling of desperation in these lyrics, a fear of being alone that drives the singer to hold on to this relationship, even if it's not ideal.
The lyrics are introspective and reveal the singer's innermost fears and desires. The line "Love is fucking stupid and I hate you" sounds bitter and cynical, but it's also a reflection of how the singer truly feels. The song ends on a somewhat bittersweet note, with the singer acknowledging that they would both leave for someone more attractive, but for now they will continue to rely on each other for stability and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
When we first met we always wanted to have sex,
At first, physical intimacy was the driving factor that brought us together.
and now we just watch DVD boxsets,
Over time, our relationship has shifted to a more complacent state where we simply spend time doing mundane activities together.
wasting time together so we're not alone.
We're both afraid of being alone, so we settle for each other's company even if it means wasting time.
When I say I love you I really mean don't leave me,
My expression of love is driven by fear of abandonment rather than genuine affection.
as long as you stay I don't care if you believe me.
I would rather have you around as a companion than be honest with my feelings and risk driving you away.
Lets deal with this companionship to make things easy.
Our relationship is based on convenience rather than love, and we try to maintain it only to avoid complications.
Don't really know you, only what you've shown me.
I have a superficial understanding of who you are, based on the limited aspects of yourself that you reveal to me.
Just let me own you and you can own me
Our relationship is a transactional one, where we each possess the other to fulfill our own needs.
This is nothing more than a love affair with myselfstick around for the sake of my mental health.
Our relationship is ultimately self-serving, as we both benefit from each other's company for our own emotional stability.
We can pretend like we're happy, pretend like we're good
We put up a facade of happiness to hide the truth from ourselves and others.
and others can envy our boundless love,
We create the illusion of a strong and enviable connection for the sake of appearances.
we will laugh because we tricked them,
We find humor in deceiving others about the true nature of our relationship.
we will laugh because we suck.
We're aware that our relationship is subpar and worthy of ridicule.
Endorphins are fading, the rush has died down
The initial excitement and thrill of being with each other has faded over time.
but convenience and loneliness keeps both of us around
Despite our dwindling emotional connection, we stay together because we're too afraid to be lonely.
we will turn off our brains when the other makes a sound.
Our conversations lack depth and meaning, as we don't engage with each other on an intellectual or emotional level.
World see us as a pair,
Our relationship is perceived by others as a couple.
I don't really care
I'm indifferent to others' opinions about our relationship.
But you're my status,
You serve as a symbol for my social status and perceived level of desirability.
so I will keep you there
I'll continue to maintain our relationship for the sake of my status, even if I have no true emotional investment in it.
We'd run away for someone more attractive
If a more conventionally attractive partner came along, we'd likely leave each other in pursuit of that person.
in our lives but in the meantime we'll decoate each others sides.
Since we're stuck with each other for now, we'll decorate our lives with each other's presence until a better option comes along.
Love is fucking stupid and I hate you.
I resent the idea of love and my romantic partner, and simply view our relationship as a necessary evil.
Contributed by Max W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.