A performer since the age of seven (the age at which he joined the Broadway cast of Annie Get Your Gun), Nicholas made his songwriting debut in 2002, when a holiday tune he'd co-written with his father found its way onto a Broadway Christmas album. A contract with Columbia Records followed two years later. Nicholas began prepping for his solo career by writing material with his older brothers, Kevin and Joseph, who eventually climbed aboard as permanent partners. Nick's solo project thus blossomed into a full-fledged band, and the siblings aptly named themselves the Jonas Brothers.
It took several years for the Jonas Brothers to find an adoring audience. It's About Time, the band's 2006 debut, was a commercial flop, and Columbia Records dropped the group one year later. Signing with Hollywood Records in 2007, the band began attracting new fans -- most of them young and female -- by establishing a presence in the Disney world. They appeared on the network's television shows, earned their own series, starred in a made-for-TV movie with Disney starlet Demi Lovato, and sold close to two million copies of their self-titled sophomore album. They replicated that feat one year later with A Little Bit Longer and returned in 2009 with Lines, Vines and Trying Times. All of the albums featured heavy contributions from Nick, who not only led the songwriting process but also played a wide variety of instruments, from drums to keyboard to guitar.
Taking a rare break from the band, Nick Jonas began working with several other musicians on a side project in late 2009. Members from Prince's New Power Generation were recruited to join the lineup, including Michael Bland and Tommy Barbarella, and the group dubbed itself Nick Jonas & the Administration before making its debut in early 2010 with the album Who I Am. The record performed respectably, peaking at three on the U.S. charts on its way to sales of 151,000, but there were soon suggestions that Nick was planning to return to the Jonas Brothers fold. This didn't happen. A 2013 tour was scrapped just prior to its October launch and, soon afterward, the band split. Nick Jonas regrouped with a 2014 solo tour followed by the November release of an eponymous album. Over the course of 2014, Jonas gained momentum, generating the Top 10 single "Jealous," which also topped Billboard's dance charts, as did "Chains " and "Levels," a bonus track from 2015's Nick Jonas X2.
In the Summer of 2016, Jonas returned with a new full-length effort, Last Year Was Complicated, featuring production by Jason Evigan, Mattman & Robin, Sir Nolan, and others. Included on the album was "Close," a duet with Tove Lo, and "Bacon," featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Also around this time, Jonas returned to acting, starring in the erotic thriller Careful What You Wish For and the fraternity hazing drama Goat. In 2017, he released the singles "Remember I Told You," featuring Anne-Marie and Mike Posner, and "Find You." Also that year, he collaborated with Nicki Minaj on the track "Bom Bidi Bom" off the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack.
How To Succeed
Nick Jonas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dear Reader, this little book is designed to tell you everything you need to know about the science of getting ahead.
Now let us assume you're young, healthy, clear-eyed and eager
Anxious to quickly and easily rise to the top of the business world
You can!
[FINCH:]
I can!
[NARRATOR:]
If you have education and intelligence and ability, so much the better
But remember that thousands have reached the top without any of these qualities
Just have courage and memorize these simple rules in the chapters that follow
If you truly wish to be among the lucky golden few, you can!
[FINCH:]
I can!
How to apply for a job
How to advance for the mail room
How to sit down on a desk
How to dictate memorandums
How to develop executive style
How to commute in a three bottom suit
With that weary executive smile
This book is all what I need
How to, how to succeed
This book is all what I need
How to, how to succeed
[NARRATOR:]
How to choose the right company
Before applying for a job, make sure you have chosen the right company
It is essential that the company be a big one
It should be at least big enough so that nobody knows exactly what anyone else is doing
[FINCH:]
How to observe personnel
How to select whom to lunch with
How to avoid petty friends
How to begin making contacts
How to walk into a conference room
With an idea, brilliant business idea
That will make your expense account zoom
This book is all what I need
How to, how to succeed
The lyrics to Nick Jonas's song How To Succeed focus on a narrator narrating to the main character, Finch, on the science of getting ahead in the business world. Here, the singer gives advice on how to climb up the corporate ladder, stating that even without having education or intelligence, it is possible to succeed if one is courageous enough and memorizes the simple rules in the book. The song highlights various tips and tricks, such as how to apply for a job, how to sit on a desk, how to dictate memorandums, and how to develop the executive style. It also touches on the importance of choosing the right company, avoiding petty friends, making contacts, and walking into a conference room with a brilliant business idea.
The lyrics can be interpreted as a satire on the cut-throat, competitive nature of the corporate world. The emphasis on memorizing these simple rules, rather than possessing education or intelligence, showcases the superficial nature of success in the business world. The tips given in the song also show that sometimes it is not about the quality of the work one produces but rather how one presents themselves and navigates corporate politics.
One could argue that the song sheds light on the idea that personal relationships, networking, and appearances can be more important than genuine talent and hard work. Furthermore, the song portrays the singer as a cynical figure who manipulates Finch into believing that success depends solely on the ability to climb up the corporate ladder.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Reader, this little book is designed to tell you everything you need to know about the science of getting ahead.
The book aims to serve as a guide to the science of getting ahead.
Now let us assume you're young, healthy, clear-eyed and eager
Assuming that the reader is young, healthy, clear-eyed, and enthusiastic about achieving success.
Anxious to quickly and easily rise to the top of the business world
The reader is keen and eager to rise to the top of the business world quickly and effortlessly.
You can! I can!
One can achieve what he wants, with determination and commitment.
If you have education and intelligence and ability, so much the better
If the reader possesses education, intelligence, and ability, it will make it easier to achieve success.
But remember that thousands have reached the top without any of these qualities
Many people have reached great heights without possessing education, intelligence, or ability.
Just have courage and memorize these simple rules in the chapters that follow
One should have courage and remember the simple rules explained in the subsequent chapters of the book.
If you truly wish to be among the lucky golden few, you can! I can!
If the reader wants to be among the few lucky people who have achieved success, they can do it by following the rules in the book.
How to apply for a job
The book explains how to apply for a job.
How to advance from the mailroom
The book explains how to advance from working in the mailroom.
How to sit down on a desk
The book explains how to sit down at a desk.
How to dictate memorandums
The book teaches how to dictate memorandums.
How to develop executive style
The book details how to develop an executive style.
How to commute in a three-bottom suit, with that weary executive smile
The book explains how to commute while wearing a three-button suit and the required tired executive smile.
How to choose the right company
The book explains how to select the right company before applying for a job.
Before applying for a job, make sure you have chosen the right company
It is crucial to select the appropriate company before applying for a job.
It is essential that the company be a big one
It is necessary that the company be a significant and well-known one.
It should be at least big enough so that nobody knows exactly what anyone else is doing
The company should be significant enough that no one knows about everyone's business dealings.
How to observe personnel
The book teaches how to observe personnel.
How to select whom to lunch with
The book explains how to choose whom to have lunch with.
How to avoid petty friends
The book teaches the reader how to avoid having petty friends.
How to begin making contacts
The book explains how to start making useful contacts.
How to walk into a conference room with an idea, brilliant business idea that will make your expense account zoom
The book teaches how to enter a conference room with a brilliant idea that will enhance the reader's expense account.
This book is all what I need, how to, how to succeed
The reader believes that this book has everything they need to achieve success.
Contributed by Landon A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.