Only The Young are a four-piece pop band from the UK. Consisting of members… Read Full Bio ↴Only The Young are a four-piece pop band from the UK. Consisting of members Charlie (18), Betsy (19), Mikey (20) and Parisa (21), They have been together since 2012 and took to the stage at Wembley Stadium to perform at Capital's Summertime Ball on Saturday the 21st June 2014. They came seventh on the eleventh series of The X Factor UK, leaving the competition on the 22nd November 2014. Their debut single 'I Do' was released on the 7th August 2015.

Bad Influences
Only the Young Lyrics

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She was just 16 when she got tattoos then her mum went crazy and her
Dad did too So she ran away and bought
A fake Id And that's how I'm jail with A&
E I'm like: Oh, oh, oh,
Oh I took her to my house to meet my nan She whispered in my ear "
I've got a plan! " She smoked 2 ciggaretes and a bottle of rum She
Dragged me to her room and said "let's have fun" I'm like: Oh, oh,
Oh, oh Whatcha you gonna do when those

Nasty voices Screaming bad thing in your head?
The decision we take can either make or break me Beacause we're so
Easily led I heard the go and on (la la
La) tryna make us do wrong Get out of my head!
It's those bad, it's those bad influences He turned all his attention
To voodoo dolls He ripped out their hair and he threw their clothes
Now he's so much older than just a fad I don't know why girls like
That crazy mind I'm like: Oh, oh, oh, oh So,
Whatcha you gonna do when those nasty
Voices Screaming bad thing in your head?
The decision we take can either make or break me Beacause we're so
Easily led I heard the go and on (la la
La) tryna make us do wrong Get out of my head!
It's those bad, it's those bad influences I can feel it
Crepping under my skin Do I do the
Right or listen to the voice within?
I've got the devil on my shoulder And I'm trying not to let him in
So, whatcha you gonna do when those
Nasty voices Screaming bad thing in your head?
The decision we take can either make or break me Beacause we're so
Easily led I heard the go and on (la la

La) tryna make us do wrong Get out of my head!
It's those bad, it's those bad influences

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Bad Influences" by Only The Young depict the story of two young individuals who get influenced by bad company, leading them to make wrong choices that put them in trouble. The song starts with the story of a 16-year-old girl who gets tattoos against her parents' wishes and runs away after her parents' reaction. She buys a fake ID, making her vulnerable to getting caught with an older man, leading to her and the man's arrest. The chorus of the song talks about the nasty voices that people hear in their heads because of bad influences that affect their decision-making abilities.

The second verse of the song introduces a boy whose attention has turned towards voodoo dolls, displaying his weird ideology. The song questions why girls like such a crazy mind. The bridge of the song enunciates the tension that arises within an individual between doing what's right and listening to the devil on their shoulder. The chorus repeats the idea that people are susceptible to bad influences that lead them to make questionable decisions.

Line by Line Meaning

She was just 16 when she got tattoos then her mum went crazy and her Dad did too
At age 16, she got tattoos which caused a strong negative reaction from both her parents. This led her to run away from home.

So she ran away and bought A fake Id And that's how I'm jail with A&E
To escape her parents' anger, she bought a fake ID and ended up in jail and the emergency room.

She whispered in my ear 'I've got a plan!' She smoked 2 cigarettes and a bottle of rum. She Dragged me to her room and said 'let's have fun'
After meeting her, she revealed her plan while drinking heavily and invited him to have fun in her room.

Whatcha you gonna do when those Nasty voices Screaming bad thing in your head? The decision we take can either make or break me Because we're so Easily led
She warns about the influence of negative thoughts and how they can make or break someone's life, as people are easily influenced.

He turned all his attention To voodoo dolls He ripped out their hair and he threw their clothes Now he's so much older than just a fad I don't know why girls like That crazy mind
Another person whose behavior has become concerning, as they have taken up an unhealthy obsession with voodoo dolls and have become older and less appealing. The artist expresses confusion over why some girls like this type of behavior.

I can feel it Crepping under my skin Do I do the Right or listen to the voice within? I've got the devil on my shoulder And I'm trying not to let him in
The singer is struggling with internal conflict between what is right and the negative voice inside their head, further symbolized by the devil on their shoulder.

It's those bad, it's those bad influences
The repeated refrain emphasizes the impact of negative influences on people's lives.

Writer(s): Only The Young

Contributed by Mason L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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