One By One
Foxtrot Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Scavengers, scavengers, scavengers
Just give another reason not to come
I saw the face, I saw the name, I saw the letter
Saturated on the back beat looking dumb
So what, did doing right and acting like you should
Leave you nothing but a scar
Goddamn these yellow eyes, I
Wish I was colorblind, why

Whatever, sure, I'll be alright
Switchback, it bears repeating
Louder for those funny feelings
Whatever keeps you up at night
I won't amend my stony poems just cause I want to
I have to free them from Poseidon's shaky hands
If you don't have a fucking plan don't let it stop you
I'm only jaded cause it's what the part demands
So long, still adding up the change before I go
And counting all the zeroes twice
Goddamn these yellow eyes, I
Wish I was colorblind, why
Whatever, sure, I'll be alright
Switchback, it bears repeating
Louder for those funny feelings
Whatever keeps you up at night
Messenger, messenger, messenger
I never thought that something better was ahead
Like shaking fists to stop the waves in rougher weather
I started carving out my shoulder blades instead
So sad, just falling in the dark without a lamp
Like everybody else
Goddamn these yellow eyes, I
Wish I was colorblind, why
Whatever, sure, I'll be alright
Switchback, it bears repeating
Louder for those funny feelings
Whatever keeps you up at night
Goddamn these yellow eyes, I
Wish I was colorblind, why
Whatever, sure, I'll be alright
Switchback, it bears repeating

Louder for those funny feelings
Whatever keeps you up at night

Overall Meaning

The first two lines of Foxtrot's song "One By One" express an interesting paradox. The singer admits that he might be wrong about someone, but he still thinks they are wonderful and swell. This suggests that the singer may be acknowledging some level of self-doubt while also expressing strong admiration for whomever he is singing about. He goes on to say that he thinks the person's style is marvelous, but admits that he is always wrong, which creates another paradox.

The second verse is equally paradoxical. The singer describes deuces as aces and life as a bore, suggesting a sense of nihilism or apathy. But he quickly contradicts himself by saying that faces are open spaces and that the person he is singing about might be John Barrymore, a famous actor from the 1920s. In this sense, the singer is acknowledging that everything is subjective, and that even if he is always wrong, he can still find wonder or grandeur in the world around him.

The final verse adds another layer of meaning by suggesting that the singer has been wrong about important things in the past (like Edison's light bulb or Franklin's kite), but that with the person he is singing about, he is finally right. This implies that he has found someone or something that he truly believes in, which gives him a sense of hope or purpose. Overall, Foxtrot's song "One By One" is a celebration of subjectivity, paradox, and the complexity of human emotion.

Line by Line Meaning

I may be wrong but I think you're wonderful
Although I'm not always right, I truly believe you are amazing.

I may be wrong but I think you're swell
Even though I often make mistakes, I think you're great.

I like your style say, I think it's marvelous
Your way of doing things is fantastic, in my opinion.

I'm always wrong so how can I tell
I'm not very confident in my judgement since I'm usually mistaken.

Deuces to me are all aces
I don't have much luck or success in life.

Life is to me just a bore
I find life dull and unexciting.

Faces are all open spaces
I don't relate to people or find them interesting.

You might be John Barrymore
You could be anyone, but I think you're special.

You came along say I think you're wonderful
Since you appeared in my life, I think you're extraordinary.

I think you're grand but I may be wrong
Even though I believe you're magnificent, I'm aware I could be mistaken.

You said that Edison would never make that light
You've doubted people's abilities before.