For over a decade, Plain White T's have been playing to packed audiences craving for that perfect pop-punk punch. Their journey, which began in a small suburban basement playing covers, has taken the band to Warped Tour three times, and landed them opening slots for bands like Jimmy Eat World and AFI. Plain White T's are road warriors in the truest sense and with their first major label album, Every Second Counts, the band is ready to rock in a big way.
PWT's story started back in high school, when frontman Tom Higgenson first stepped into Chicago's famed rock club the Metro and saw his future on the stage. With the local music scene exploding nationally courtesy of bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Veruca Salt, he decided the time was ripe for his own dreams to be realized. Armed with paper, pen, and guitar, Tom went to task, experimenting with lyrics and melodies on a four-track in his parents' Villa Park, Illinois home. Once he'd reached a level of comfort with his songwriting, he worked up the courage to hand off a tape to Christian Lane, singer of 90's buzz band Loud Lucy, and to his surprise, Christian actually listened to it.
Once he'd recruited a group of school pals, including guitarist Dave Tirio, it was only a matter of a couple years before Plain White T's, who'd attracted a loyal following thanks to Tom's ridiculously melodic tales of teen angst and loveless nights, were playing the Metro themselves.
The music industry took notice of that success and after selling thousands of copies of their self-released 2002 debut, Stop, PWT's were picked up by Fearless Records who re-issued the album along with 2005's All That We Needed. But it was their heartfelt, acoustic-tinged "Hey There Delilah" that cemented their status as potential hitmakers.
Tom's songwriting evolved after the success of the romantically frank "Delilah," which really was a departure for a band known for their energetic powerpop. On Hollywood Records debut, Every Second Counts, Tom, along with bandmates Mike Retondo (bass and vocals), De'Mar Hamilton (drums), and Tim Lopez (guitar, vocals), continues to turn the personal into the universal. Throughout the album, he sings of hook-ups and break-ups and the emotional rollercoaster in between. A prime example is lead single "Hate (I Really Don't Like You)." In a similar vein, the lyrics for "Friends Don't Let Friends Dial Drunk" also showcases Tom's offbeat take on love and life, while its melody sucks you in with every turn of phrase. Delving slightly deeper into emotional territory are upbeat tracks like "Our Time Now" and "Come Back to Me" as well as one of the album's quieter numbers, "Write You a Song."
In 2008, the group released the album 'Big Bad World'. The album had two hit singles: "1, 2, 3, 4" and "Natural Disaster". Both were on the American Top 40 at numbers 1 and 2 for three consecutive weeks. By late 2008, the band had joined the Rock Band Live tour with Panic! at the Disco, Dashboard Confessional and The Cab. Later that year, the band played at the Give It a Name festival in the UK. In 2007, the band performed the single "Our Time Now" on an episode of the Nickelodeon television series, iCarly. "Our Time Now" was also the theme song of the ABC Family dramedy series, Greek.
The band's "Rhythm of Love" single was the first to be released from the group's 2010 album, The Wonders of the Younger.' The song reached number five on the Hot AC chart, and was in the top ten in 2010 as well. In 2012, the band also covered The Ramones' "Pet Sematary" for the song soundtrack of the 2012 Disney film Frankenweenie. Should've Gone to Bed, a four-song EP, was released on April 9, 2013.
The band left Hollywood Records after creative conflicts with the label during the production of the American Nights album. 'American Nights' was released by Megaforce Records on March 31, 2015.
In 2015, they also appeared on Blues Traveler's album Blow Up the Moon, co-writing the song "Nikkia's Prom." On November 22, 2015, the band released a music video for "American Nights" featuring Higgenson's son, Lennon.
In May 2017, Plain White T's released a music video for their song "Land of the Living." The band, which had left their label Fearless Records in 2005, returned to the label. As of April 2017, the band have said that they are currently writing new music.
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Plain White T's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two, three, four
Give me more lovin' than I've ever had.
Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad.
Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not.
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
Barely gettin' mad,
I'm so glad I found you.
You make it easy,
It's easy as one, two, one, two, three, four.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
I love you.
(I love you)
There's only one way, two say, those three words
And that's what I'll do.
I love you.
(I love you)
Give me more lovin' from the very start.
Piece me back together when I fall apart.
Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends.
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
Best that I've had.
I'm so glad that I found you.
I love being around you.
You make it easy,
It's easy as one, two, one, two, three, four.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
I love you.
(I love you)
There's only one way, two say, those three words
And that's what I'll do.
I love you.
(I love you)
I love you
(I love you)
You make it easy,
It's easy as one, two, one, two, three, four.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
I love you.
(I love you)
There's only one way, two say, those three words
And that's what I'll do.
I love you.
(I love you)
One, two, three, four
One, two, three, four I love you.
(I love you)
I love you
(I love you)
The song "1234" by Plain White T's is a heartfelt declaration of love from the singer to their partner. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, beginning with a series of counting as the singer sets the rhythm for the song. They go on to ask for more love and comfort than they've ever had before, seeking validation even when they don't feel special. The singer expresses gratitude for their partner and their ability to make them happy, even when they're hurting.
The chorus of the song is an affirmation of love that repeats several times. The singer declares their love multiple times over, repeating the phrase "I love you" to their partner. The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and a deep emotional attachment, indicating a strong bond between the two characters. The song is a sweet and sincere expression of love that is sure to resonate with listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two
The song begins with a simple count-in, setting the pace for the rest of the track.
One, two, three, four
This line repeats throughout the chorus and serves as a rhythmic anchor for the song.
Give me more lovin' than I've ever had.
The singer is expressing the desire for a deep and intense love, beyond what they have experienced before.
Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad.
In addition to love, the singer is asking for comfort and emotional support from their partner.
Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not.
The singer wants reassurance and affirmation from their partner, even when they are feeling insecure or self-doubting.
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
The singer is asking for their partner to bring them joy and happiness, even in times of pain and sadness.
Barely gettin' mad,
The singer is expressing that their partner does not cause them to get angry or upset often, if ever.
I'm so glad I found you.
The singer is grateful and happy to have found their partner, someone who fulfills their emotional needs and brings them joy.
I love being around you.
The singer enjoys spending time with their partner and values their companionship.
You make it easy,
The singer is acknowledging that their relationship feels effortless and natural due to their partner's love and support.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
The singer is referring to the phrase 'I love you', which is the one thing they need to communicate to their partner, made up of the three words 'I', 'love', and 'you'.
I love you. (I love you)
The singer is expressing their love for their partner, confirming the significance and depth of their feelings.
Give me more lovin' from the very start.
The singer is asking for consistent, genuine love that has been present throughout their entire relationship.
Piece me back together when I fall apart.
The singer is expressing a need for emotional support and care during difficult times or challenging life situations.
Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends.
The singer is requesting emotional intimacy and trust in their relationship, a level of closeness that surpasses what they share with their friends.
Best that I've had.
The singer is stating that their current partner is the best romantic partner they have ever had, emphasizing the importance of their relationship.
I love you
The singer repeats this simple phrase multiple times throughout the song, as if to remind their partner and themselves of the love they share.
One, two, three, four
This line repeats throughout the chorus and serves as a rhythmic anchor for the song.
One, two, three, four I love you. (I love you)
The singer is expressing their love for their partner, wrapping up the song with the same simple yet significant words they have been emphasizing throughout.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM HIGGENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@woolala0720
One, two
One, two, three, four
Give me more lovin' than I've ever had.
Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad.
Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not.
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
Barely gettin' mad,
I'm so glad I found you.
I love being around you.
You make it easy,
It's easy as one, two, one, two, three, four.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
I love you.
(I love you)
There's only one way, two say, those three words
And that's what I'll do.
I love you.
(I love you)
Give me more lovin' from the very start.
Piece me back together when I fall apart.
Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends.
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad.
Best that I've had.
I'm so glad that I found you.
I love being around you.
You make it easy,
It's easy as one, two, one, two, three, four.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
I love you.
(I love you)
There's only one way, two say, those three words
And that's what I'll do.
I love you.
(I love you)
I love you
(I love you)
You make it easy,
It's easy as one, two, one, two, three, four.
There's only one thing, two do, three words four you.
I love you.
(I love you)
There's only one way, two say, those three words
And that's what I'll do.
I love you.
(I love you)
One, two, three, four
One, two, three, four I love you.
(I love you)
I love you
(I love you)
@bobbygaharacaritas3857
1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4
Give me more lovin' than I've ever had
Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad
Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad
Barely gettin' mad, I'm so glad I found you
I love bein' around you
You make it easy, it's as easy as 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4
There's only one thing to do
Three words for you I love you (I love you)
There's only one way to say
Those three words and that's what I'll do, I love you (I love you)
Give me more lovin' from the very start
Piece me back together when I fall apart
Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad
Best that I've had, I'm so glad that I found you
I love bein' around you
You make it easy, it's as easy as 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4
There's only one thing to do
Three words for you I love you (I love you)
There's only one way to say
Those three words and that's what I'll do, I love you
(I love you)
You make it easy, it's easy as 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4
There's only one thing to do
Three words for you I love you (I love you)
There's only one way to say
Those three words and that's what I'll do, I love you
(I love you)
1, 2, 3, 4
I love you
I love you
@ghadam.9455
When I was 16 I wrote a comment saying I'm single but I love listening to this song. Now I'm 21 and guess what? Still single lol
@kayaeki
Aw mann, me 20 and never been in a relationship :'(, I hope we find someone we love to spend time with
@terrorblade5374
My plan is i will not getting relationship til 30 :)
@kayaeki
Also update guys, I proposed to a girl and she said yesss! I don't care if she's the one but I reallly like her faults andd her everything. After 2 big stupid my fault rejections :')
@edlamar9273
Kenyce Congratulations! I have faith she is your “the one”.
@MikhaelAhava
@Terror Blade good plan.
@monirothto6051
14 years passed and this song still makes us feel good the same in 2023 ❤
@OpaRenthlei
Feel you bro😢
@thestevensonshow1
Its incredible how music can almost make your heart travel back in time. Haven't heard this song in years and it brings so many sweet "young love" memories. My husband and I first dated my freshman year of hs but decided to be friends. Realized our feelings for each other senior year and this was one of our songs during those years. 13 years together, 7 years married June 18th ❤
@user-sl5zk3vc5p
Thats the magic of music