This song is all about that one person who has completely changed from who … Read Full Bio ↴This song is all about that one person who has completely changed from who they used to be. It’s most likely an ex who’s putting on a facade of aloofness and the real them is something of the past. They only exist in memories now and the leather jacket exterior is someone else who has taken their place.

Leather Jacket
Joyce Manor Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In your new leather jacket, you're somebody else
And it's not nice to meet you in a fortress of self
Thanks to your new leather jacket, we're nobodies now
Pack of cigarettes, I empty out

I miss the way we talked before you went away to school
Now all you seem to say is "Baby, how could it be you?"
I hate the way you're leaning and you're looking at your phone

I hate the way I feel like dying when I'm alone

In your new leather jacket, you're somebody else
And it's not nice to meet you in a fortress of self

Thanks to your new leather jacket, we're nobodies now
Pack of cigarettes, I empty out

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Joyce Manor's song "Leather Jacket" tell a story of a relationship that has changed due to the influence of a new, flashy piece of clothing. The singer is addressing a former lover who has seemingly become someone different since donning a "new leather jacket." This jacket has turned the lover into "somebody else," and they are now hiding behind a "fortress of self," suggesting that the lover is no longer his or her true self.

The singer misses the way they used to talk before the lover went to school, suggesting that there was a genuine connection between the two that has now been lost. The lover now seems distant and aloof, constantly on their phone, and only capable of shallow small talk. The singer feels lonely and unhappy in their presence, and even the sight of the lover's jacket is enough to make them feel small and insignificant.

The song is a lament for lost love and a critique of the way that material possessions can change people and alter relationships. The leather jacket becomes a symbol of the lover's newfound vanity and aloofness, and the singer can only hope that they will one day return to their pre-jacket self.

Line by Line Meaning

In your new leather jacket, you're somebody else
The singer feels that the person wearing the new leather jacket has changed and become someone else.

It's not nice to meet you in a fortress of self
The singer finds it unpleasant to meet with someone who is only focused on their own self-image and not on connecting with others.

Thanks to your new leather jacket, we're nobodies now
The singer feels that the person wearing the new leather jacket has become too cool to associate with their old friends and has made them feel like nobody.

Pack of cigarettes, I empty out
The artist is indulging in smoking to deal with the emotions caused by the situation.

I miss the way we talked before you went away to school
The artist longs for the meaningful conversations they used to have with the person before they went away to school and changed.

Now all you seem to say is "Baby, how could it be you?"
The singer feels that the person has become shallow and only talks about themselves, using a dismissive phrase to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

I hate the way you're leaning and you're looking at your phone
The singer dislikes the person's distracted behavior and lack of attention during their interaction.

I hate the way I feel like dying when I'm alone
The artist feels depressed and anxious when they are alone and not in the company of the person they are addressing.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Barry Johnson, Matt Eber, Kurt Walcher, Chase Knobbe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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