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.
Umbrella
Plain White T's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we'll never be worlds apart
Maybe in magazines
But you'll still be my star
Cause baby in the dark
You can't see shiny cars
That's when you need my there
With you I'll always share
When the sun shines we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath Im'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
These fancy things
Will never come in between
You're part of my entity
Here for infinity
When the war has took its part
When the world has dealt its cards
If the hand is hard
Together we'll mend your heart
Because
When the sun shines we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath Im'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
You can run into my arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
Come into me
No distance in between our love
gonna let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more
Oh because
When the sun shines we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath Im'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh)
Under my umbrella (ella ella eh eh eh eh eh eh)
The lyrics of Plain White T's's song Umbrella convey a feeling of unconditional love and support that endures through all kinds of challenges. The singer assures the person they love that they will always stick by their side, even when things get tough. The opening lines express the depth of love and connection between the two, highlighting that they will never be separated, even if their love may seem unattainable on the surface. The reference to "magazines" could imply a societal expectation of what a perfect relationship should look like, but the singer knows that their love transcends superficial standards.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of solidarity, suggesting that no matter what happens, the two will never be alone. The repeated phrases of "we'll shine together" and "know that we'll still have each other" highlight their unwavering loyalty to one another. The lines "took an oath, Im'ma stick it out till the end" express their commitment to stand by each other no matter what. The metaphor of the "umbrella" represents the singer's willingness to offer protection and shelter from the storms of life, both literal and metaphorical.
The final verse reaffirms the singer's support and the depth of their love. The lyrics "It's okay don't be alarmed / Come into me / No distance in between our love" suggest that the singer is a source of comfort and reassurance for the person they love. They promise to be everything their partner needs during the hard times, showing that their support is not just words, but a tangible and constant presence.
Overall, the lyrics of Umbrella paint a beautiful picture of a love that is not only enduring but also selfless in its commitment to support someone through all the ups and downs of life. The song demonstrates that true love is not just about the feel-good moments, but also about standing by someone when they need it most.
Line by Line Meaning
You had my heart
I loved and cared for you deeply
And we'll never be worlds apart
Nothing in the world can come between us
Maybe in magazines
Other people may only see us as a superficial couple
But you'll still be my star
You will always be special and important to me
Cause baby in the dark
When things get tough and the future is uncertain
You can't see shiny cars
We'll care less about material things and focus on our love and connection
That's when you need my there
I will support you through every hardship and challenge
With you I'll always share
You have my love and I will always be there for you
When the sun shines we'll shine together
We will celebrate together and uplift each other
Told you I'll be here forever
I promise to be there for you always, no matter what
Said I'll always be your friend
I am not just your lover, but also your friend and confidant
Took an oath Im'ma stick it out till the end
I am committed to our relationship and will never give up on us
Now that it's raining more than ever
Times are tough and things are not going as planned
Know that we'll still have each other
We have each other's love and support to get through anything
You can stand under my umbrella
I will protect you and provide shelter from the storm
You can run into my arms
I will always be there to receive you with open arms
It's okay don't be alarmed
There's no need to be afraid, I'm here for you
Come into me
Trust me and let me take care of you
No distance in between our love
Even when we're physically apart, our love remains strong
gonna let the rain pour
We'll face the challenges of life and weather the storm together
I'll be all you need and more
I will provide for you in every way and exceed your expectations
Contributed by Olivia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mishakaah
j adore cette version
kaylalovesyouTL
i like this version better than the original
Popenut!
yuuuup, better this version!
Nona Taylor
I honestly like romantic songs that are done by guys instead of girls. Just saying.