No Information
Fastbacks Lyrics
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Some misinformation to lead you astray
'Older and wiser . . .' what they'd always say
He never welcomed that noise anyway
August first his letter read aloud today
Eloquent and absolutely nothing did he say
The less we heard the less confused that we were made
Information wasn't all he never gave away
Eleven more months rent had just been paid
The Fastbacks' song "No Information" is a complex composition that delves into themes of alienation, misunderstanding, and the struggle to make sense of the world. The song starts off with the haunting line, "That it was the laughter drove the man away." The lyrics describe a man who is driven away by the laughter and misinformation of those around him. He is made to feel like an outsider even when he is supposed to be "older and wiser," as his peers claim. However, he never welcomed this noise anyway and chooses to leave with no explanation. An "eloquent" letter is read aloud, but it is "absolutely nothing" that he says. The less others hear, the less confused they are made, but the man is still gone. Information was not something he gave away, so the only clues left behind are the cards where he last played his game and the rent paid for eleven more months.
This song seems to depict a man who felt misunderstood and out of place in the world around him. He didn't feel that he fit into the mold of what society expected from him and so he opts to remove himself and his "information" from the picture. The lyrics leave a lot of open-ended questions about the man's life, career, or what may have driven him away. However, it speaks to a broader understanding of human nature, which is that sometimes, we don’t fit in the boxes society has built for us, and when we leave, we become kind of strangers to those we once knew.
Line by Line Meaning
That it was the laughter drove the man away
The man left because of something that was said or done that made him unhappy or uncomfortable.
Some misinformation to lead you astray
Someone purposely gave false information to deceive or mislead you.
'Older and wiser . . .' what they'd always say
It's a common saying that as people age, they become wiser and make better decisions.
He never welcomed that noise anyway
The man did not like the constant noise or chatter around him.
August first his letter read aloud today
On August first, a letter addressed to the man was read aloud to everyone.
Eloquent and absolutely nothing did he say
The man's letter was well-written but did not contain any useful information.
The less we heard the less confused that we were made
The less information we received about the situation, the less confused we were about what was going on.
Information wasn't all he never gave away
The man was not forthcoming with information in general.
The cards were left where his last game was played
The man's personal belongings or possessions were left behind at a location where he last spent time.
Eleven more months rent had just been paid
The man had recently paid rent for the next eleven months, indicating he had no intent to return soon.
Contributed by Caden E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.