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.
Unconditional Love
Plain White T's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me tell you something
I love you just the same
If not a little more
So you want me to write
But let me tell you something
I won't change my ways
To speak to me
To talk to me
To treat me like a human being
To speak to me
To talk to me
To treat me like a human being
Uncontrollable love
Let me tell you something
If speeds at my control
You better hang on for your life
You complain of hungry holes
It takes me to satsify
To speak to me
To talk to me
To treat me like a human being
To speak to me
To talk to me
To treat me like a human being
The lyrics of "Unconditional Love" by Plain White T's speak of the unwavering and all-encompassing love that the singer has for another person. The song starts with the singer stating that regardless of whatever happens, he loves this person just the same, if not a little more. He then goes on to say that he won't change his ways, and expects the other person to find a better way to communicate with him. The song seems to be about how the singer is fighting for the relationship and trying to convey to the other person that he loves them unconditionally but also has certain boundaries.
The second verse shifts the attention to how the singer’s love is uncontrollable and can be overwhelming. He then talks about how he satisfies the other person’s needs like no other person can. The chorus is repeated twice and highlights the importance of treating each other with respect and dignity in a relationship. The last line of the song, "to treat me like a human being," brings the focus to the fact that love isn't enough in a relationship; each partner needs to treat the other with kindness and respect.
Line by Line Meaning
Unconditional love
My love for you has no conditions or limitations.
Let me tell you something
I have something important to tell you.
I love you just the same
My love for you is constant.
If not a little more
Or even stronger than it used to be.
So you want me to write
You asked me to write something for you.
I won't change my ways
I will not compromise my values or behavior.
You better find a better way
You should seek a different solution.
Uncontrollable love
My love for you is intense and hard to contain.
If speeds at my control
I am in complete power of my love and how I express it.
You better hang on for your life
You need to brace yourself for how much love I have to give.
You complain of hungry holes
You express your needs and wants to me.
It takes me to satisfy
I am capable of fulfilling your needs.
To speak to me
Communicate with me.
To talk to me
Engage in conversation with me.
To treat me like a human being
Respect me as an individual with emotions and thoughts.
To speak to me
Communicate with me.
To talk to me
Engage in conversation with me.
To treat me like a human being
Respect me as an individual with emotions and thoughts.
Contributed by Blake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Taty P
Essa música me vêm muitas boas lembranças.
Noemaw
Love Plain White T's... and this song is just so cool! But I wonder what album it's on!!???
sinsofthetongue
I never thought that things would turn out this way...not at all. Sometimes you wish that you'd lived a little differently, then you remember that this is now...and you find that there is no going back. Ever
Froggylocker101
this is my favorite song everz!!!!!!!!! it fits so much!
liquidcola
This song is not by the Plain White T's. It's from another band from the same area called Backdrop. They used to play with the T's all the time, and were on a few comps with them back in the day. A long time ago, someone got confused, thought this song was the T's, mislabeled it, and it made its way onto Limewire or Napster or something. So yeah, NOT the T's, but BACKDROP. Eric Vorel is singing.
Ioana Goga
A singers voice can change!!! If you don't belive me, listen to Bob Dylan in the past and now. This song is even on a Plain White T's cd.
Chris Matsumoto
This is the Backdrops not the Plain White T's!...Both talented Chicago bands!
Batsncats
im digging this. (:
David Belovd
:Unconditional Love)) Let me tell U somethin.... Thanks for the song...!!!!! I wont change my ways!..))
popcomplex
This ain't PWT's, this is Eric Vorel! The band was called Backdrop. But, they are all friends.