Signed to the Setanta label, you could be forgiven for thinking that Dublin… Read Full Bio ↴Signed to the Setanta label, you could be forgiven for thinking that Dublin's Mark Cullen is the next Neil Hannon. Pony Club are actually quite a different beast though; Cullen has a similar ear for a great melody but his style is aggressive and confrontational. 'CCTV' is typical - buzzsaw punk guitars and gritty lyrics railing against modern cliches ("I'm watching Hilfiger glamourise violence, in every run down satellite highrise"). With more in common with Babybird, Cullen's barbed lyrics are masked by sweet, contemporary tunes ('Fuck With My Heart', 'Stop', 'Millions Like Us'). He can play the wounded torch singer a la Marc Almond just as well with the self-pitying yet admirable 'Single'. Whereas 'Tenderness', 'Flakey Wife' and 'Happy Families' are simply great sounding songs with chart potential. All of which makes 'Home Truths' a very special fully-formed album, even more so as it's a debut.

Pony Club homepage

Single
Pony Club Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining

all my life
I've compromised
a house day's quiet
but not this time, no
Oh, I've excuses
I've got reasons
To be happy
And if I'm honest
If I'm truthful
but I can't be
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
all my friends
well
just sit in now
I can't count them
twice on one hand
all these excuses
all these reasons
why we're happy
and if we're honest
if we're truthful
but we can't be
life goes on outside
I know my distance
one thing stays with me
I make no difference
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
all my life
I've compromised
a house day's quiet
but not tonight, no
always excuses
always reasons to be happy
and if we're honest
if we're truthful
life goes on outside
I know my distance
one thing stays with me
I make no difference
life goes on outside
I know my distance
one thing stays with me
I make no difference
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
I,
I can stay in,
cause I'm single,
and it's raining
I,
I can stay in,

cause I'm single,
and it's raining

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pony Club's song "Single" describe the singer's contentment in being single on a rainy day. They are able to stay indoors and enjoy their solitude without having to compromise with anyone else. The singer acknowledges that they have made compromises in the past in order to maintain a quiet household, but tonight is different. The rain provides a comforting backdrop for the singer to relax and be at peace with their single status. They mention that their friends are all sitting inside as well, but they don't seem to mind because they have their own reasons for being happy. However, despite their contentment, the singer also acknowledges that they don't make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, and life goes on outside.

Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of acceptance and resignation with being single. The singer recognizes the benefits of being able to have their own space and not having to compromise, but also acknowledges the limitations of being alone. The rain serves as a comforting and melancholic backdrop to these sentiments, highlighting the contrasts between loneliness and contentment.

Line by Line Meaning

I, I can stay in, cause I'm single, and it's raining
Being unattached and with gloomy weather, the singer is content to remain indoors.

all my life I've compromised a house day's quiet but not this time, no
The singer has often made concessions for others but is now taking a stand and putting themselves first.

Oh, I've excuses, I've got reasons to be happy
The singer has valid justifications for choosing to stay in and embrace their singlehood.

And if I'm honest, If I'm truthful but I can't be
Although the artist would like to be completely honest about their feelings, they cannot due to societal pressure or fear of judgment.

all my friends well just sit in now, I can't count them twice on one hand
While the artist's friends are settling down and staying in for the night, the artist has a large social circle and plenty of options to go out.

all these excuses, all these reasons why we're happy and if we're honest, if we're truthful but we can't be
The singer acknowledges that their friends, too, have reasons for being content to stay in, but everyone feels pressure to conform to societal expectations.

life goes on outside, I know my distance, one thing stays with me, I make no difference
The singer recognizes that the world continues without them and they are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Writer(s): MARK JAMES CULLEN

Contributed by Isaiah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS