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.
Last Breath
Plain White T's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I would sacrifice my spine
if that would get you off my back.
You're somewhere between the girl of my dreams
and the girl of my nightmares
(Girl of my nightmares).
And it's not fair.
And you're nothing but wrong for me.
So how do I get back to the good times?
And how do I see you in a new light?
Because the harder I try, the less we feel right for each other.
How do I get back to the good times?
And with my last breath I'll thank you for choking me
Because I'd rather suffocate than have you breathing down my neck.
Flowers and trees we planted the seeds,
But nothing will grow there.
'Cause we're going nowhere.
Because I'm nothing but good to you,
And you're nothing but wrong for me.
So how do I get back to the good times?
And how do I see you in a new light?
Because the harder I try, the less we feel right for each other.
How do I get back to the good times?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for,
If it ain't you?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for,
If it ain't you?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for,
If it ain't you?
What am I trying for?
What am I crying for?
What am I dying for,
If it ain't you?
The song "Last Breath" by Plain White T's is about a toxic relationship that has reached a breaking point. The first verse describes how the singer is willing to give up everything, even his own spine, just to get his partner off his back. He sees her as somewhere between the girl of his dreams and the girl of his nightmares, and he knows that it's not fair. Despite his efforts to be good to her, their relationship is not working out. He wants to know how they can get back to the good times and see each other in a new light, but the harder he tries, the less they feel right for each other.
In the second verse, the singer thanks his partner for choking him because he would rather suffocate than have her breathing down his neck. He mentions the flowers and trees they planted but notes that nothing will grow there because they are going nowhere. He reiterates that he is good to her, but she is wrong for him. He wants to know how to get back to the good times and see each other in a new light but knows that it's difficult because the more he tries, the less they feel right for each other.
The chorus repeats the theme of the song several times, with the singer asking what he is fighting, crying, and dying for if it's not for his partner. Overall, "Last Breath" is a powerful song about a relationship that has gone sour and the difficulty of finding a way back to happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
And with my last breath I surrender to your attack.
I would rather give up and let you win than continue fighting this losing battle.
'Cause I would sacrifice my spine
if that would get you off my back.
I would do anything to get you off my back and out of my life, even if it means giving up my own strength and backbone.
You're somewhere between the girl of my dreams
and the girl of my nightmares
(Girl of my nightmares).
And it's not fair.
You are a mix of good and bad qualities, and it's hard to figure out if I love or hate you because of it.
Because I'm nothing but good to you,
And you're nothing but wrong for me.
So how do I get back to the good times?
And how do I see you in a new light?
I treat you well, but you only bring negativity to my life. I want to know how to fix our relationship and see you in a more positive way.
Because the harder I try, the less we feel right for each other.
How do I get back to the good times?
Despite my efforts, our relationship is not working and we only seem to be growing further apart. I want to know how to fix it.
And with my last breath I'll thank you for choking me
Because I'd rather suffocate than have you breathing down my neck.
Being suffocated is more desirable than having you constantly watching and controlling my every move.
Flowers and trees we planted the seeds,
But nothing will grow there.
'Cause we're going nowhere.
We had good intentions and put in effort, but our relationship is not thriving and we are not progressing anywhere.
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for?
What am I fighting for,
If it ain't you?
I am struggling to figure out why I am still fighting for a relationship that is not working and causing me pain. Is it worth it if it's not with you?
What am I trying for?
What am I crying for?
What am I dying for,
If it ain't you?
I am questioning why I am putting so much effort and emotion into something that is not working out. Why should I try, cry or even die for something that doesn't involve you?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN FELDMANN, TOM HIGGENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind