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.
Cinderella Story
Plain White T's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw you with him today
The boy who took my place
You seemed so much happier with me
Maybe that's just the way I want it to be
I heard that you've been asking 'bout me
I gave you up such a long time ago
But everyday I wonder why I ever let you go
Now it's just another one of those days
Where you may not feel so right
The way you fit into my arms at night
I'll remember that feeling for the rest of my life
But it's just another one of those days
I can't help but feel a little obsessed
About the things you and I never had
I had the world but instead I threw it all away
And now it's just another one of those days
Oh, oh, oh
Does he really give you all that you need?
Does he feel better than me?
I find it hard to believe
Why don't you tell me to believe?
Why did you let me feel?
Is that the way it's got to be?
What's wrong with me?
Why don't you tell me to believe?
Why don't you make him leave?
It's not the way this has to be
But it's just another one of those days
Where you may not feel so right
The way you fit into my arms at night
I'll remember that feeling for the rest of my life
But it's just another one of those days
I can't help but feel a little obsessed
About the things you and I never had
I had the world but instead I threw it all away
And now it's just another one of those days
Oh, oh, oh
"Cinderella Story" by Plain White T's is a song about a person who sees his ex-girlfriend having an enjoyable time with her new boyfriend. He reflects back on the past and wonders if she ever thinks about them or if she's truly happy with her new guy. Even though he knows deep down that it's not healthy to keep thinking about their past, he can't help but feel a little bit envious and obsessed about the things they never had.
The first verse of the song describes how the singer felt after seeing his ex-girlfriend happy with her new boyfriend. He laments that she felt much happier when she was with him, and it may be a little bit of wishful thinking on his part. The next verse reveals that he's been hearing about her asking about him, and although he gave up on their relationship a long time ago, he still wonders why he ever let her go. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "just another one of those days" and talks about how he can't help but feel a little obsessed and bitter about how things turned out.
The bridge of the song raises questions about the new boyfriend and whether he can give the singer's ex-girlfriend the same things he did in their relationship. He wants her to tell him to believe that her new relationship is better than their old one, but he's finding it hard to believe. The song ends with another iteration of the chorus and the main protagonist feeling like he threw away everything he had with her.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, oh, oh
Repeating the sound of an emotional cry
I saw you with him today
I saw the girl I let go with another man
The boy who took my place
The man who is now in my former position
You seemed so much happier with me
I believed she was happier with me
Maybe that's just the way I want it to be
Perhaps my desire to hold onto the past is clouding reality
I heard that you've been asking 'bout me
I heard from tears that she inquiries about me
'Least that's what tears were telling me
I am assuming she is troubled by our separation
I gave you up such a long time ago
I let go of her long ago
But everyday I wonder why I ever let you go
Every day, I question why I made the choice to break up
Now it's just another one of those days
It is a day like any other
Where you may not feel so right
She may not be feeling herself that day
The way you fit into my arms at night
The memory of our physical closeness lingers
I'll remember that feeling for the rest of my life
I will never forget the way we used to be together
But it's just another one of those days
It remains just another day
I can't help but feel a little obsessed
I admit to being a bit fixated
About the things you and I never had
I think about everything she and I missed out on
I had the world but instead I threw it all away
I had everything I ever wanted, but I ended it all
And now it's just another one of those days
It is still just another day
Does he really give you all that you need?
I wonder if the man she's with fulfills her needs
Does he feel better than me?
I question if their relationship is more satisfying
I find it hard to believe
I do not fully believe it
Why don't you tell me to believe?
Perhaps she could reassure me
Why did you let me feel?
Why did she let me experience intimacy with her
Is that the way it's got to be?
Is our separation permanent?
What's wrong with me?
I question why I failed to keep her
Why don't you make him leave?
I wish she would end her current relationship
It's not the way this has to be
I believe things could be different if we gave it another chance
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC DENNIS VOREL, TOM HIGGENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RedEye Jedi
The Plain White T's are such a good band cus they write songs that actually have a meaning. like, they write songs about events that happen in their lives. thats what i like in a band:)
Laura Li
This song is just so beautiful. It's amazing how many people actually can relate to it...
vidya sagar
i can relate every line ...oh gosh does he reads my mind
L3G3ND PRODUCTIONS
makes me sad that this song came out in 2000 and is 14 years old, its still one of my favorite songs!
Fuck You
Makes me sad that its been 17 years now Dx
Syed Moin Ul Haque
Now 18 years..
Danilo Pablo
21 years now.
Matthias Vancerlet
23 years now 🥲
Hanin Ramadan
I love how this song fills some sort of void. Thanks plain white tees for being there at a tough time : )
Maddie Lee
I love this song so much! I always loved the plain white t's!