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.
It's So Easy
Plain White T's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I will do my best to please
Pleasing's all I ever do
'cause they all expect me to
And everybody thinks I'm strong
But they don't know what's going on
They don't know what's on my mind
I fall behind
Tell me to be what they want me to be
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Sometimes it seems like there's two sides of me
Everybody thinks it's so easy being me
Tell me what you want to know
And I will do my best to show
Everything you ever need
Don't be concerned with me
'cause everybody thinks I'm fine
But they don't even to take the time
To find out who I really am
They don't understand
Tell me to be what they want me to be
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Sometimes it seems like there's two sides of me
Everybody thinks it's so easy being me
Well tell me what to be
And don't pretend to care when you're not even there
You think that it's so easy
Tell me to be what they want me to be
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Sometimes it seems like there's two sides of me
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Tell me to be
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Sometimes it seems
Everybody thinks it's so easy being me
The lyrics of Plain White T's's "It's So Easy" centers around feeling overwhelmed and powerless due to the expectations and perceptions others have of the singer. The singer feels like he is constantly trying to please others, and that is all he can do. He is struggling with the weight of their expectations, and no one is taking the time to understand him or his struggles.
Despite how everyone else sees him as strong and capable, he feels like he is falling behind and has two sides to him, which create an inner conflict. He is asking people to tell him what they want him to be because he doesn't even know who he is anymore. He's made to feel that being the person others want him to be is easy, but it's not. The singer is not even sure that the people demanding him to be certain ways care about him or his feelings.
The song's lyrics convey the emotional weight that comes with constantly feeling like a people-pleaser and hiding one's true feelings. The chorus's repetition of "everybody thinks it's so easy" shows how the singer's struggle is belittled by others who don't understand.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what you want from me
Ask me for whatever you want and I will try my best to satisfy you
And I will do my best to please
I will put in all efforts to make you happy and satisfied
Pleasing's all I ever do
Making others happy is the only thing I am known for
'cause they all expect me to
Everyone around me expects me to maintain their happiness
And everybody thinks I'm strong
People believe me to be powerful and capable
But they don't know what's going on
They are unaware of my emotional state
They don't know what's on my mind
Nobody understands my thoughts or feelings
I fall behind
I struggle to keep up with the expectations and demands of others
Tell me to be what they want me to be
People instruct me to take on their preferred persona
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Others assume that it is effortless for me to satisfy them
Sometimes it seems like there's two sides of me
I feel as if there are two versions of myself: one that pleases others and another that reveals my true self
Tell me what you want to know
Ask me any questions that you have and I will do my best to answer them
And I will do my best to show
I will demonstrate or exhibit anything you require of me
Everything you ever need
I will provide anything that you may require
Don't be concerned with me
Do not worry about my well-being or feelings
'cause everybody thinks I'm fine
People assume that there are no issues with my state of being
But they don't even to take the time
They do not spend enough effort and time to understand me
To find out who I really am
They fail to see my true personality and individuality
They don't understand
Nobody comprehends my thoughts, feelings or situation
Well tell me what to be
Instruct me to take on any role or personality that you desire
And don't pretend to care when you're not even there
Do not pretend to care about me when you are not physically present with me
You think that it's so easy
You believe that pleasing you and others is simple for me
Tell me to be
Instruct me to take on any personality or role
Everybody thinks that it's so easy
Everyone perceives that it is effortless for me to satisfy people
Sometimes it seems
I often feel that others do not understand or care for me properly
Everybody thinks it's so easy being me
People believe that it is simple for me to handle the expectations and demands of others
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM HIGGENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@naveedahmed8835
Still bumping this in 2020. Plain White T’s was the band that got me into making music myself, like 13 years ago