Say Anything, then called Sayanything, began their career when the band was still in high school. They self-released two EP's and one LP entitled Baseball. Baseball and the band's first EP, Junior Varsity, are both out of print and are no longer available. The band's second EP entitled Menora/Mejorah was released online. All of these early albums have a pop punk sound reminiscent of blink-182 and of Max's favorite band, Saves the Day.
In August 2004 they released ...Is a Real Boy on Doghouse Records. The album was produced by Tim O'Heir (Sebadoh, All-American Rejects, Superdrag) with arrangements by Stephen Trask (Grammy nominated for Hedwig & the Angry Inch). While recording the album Max Bemis had a nervous breakdown during which he took to the streets of New York until his girlfriend found him and ended up in a mental hospital for a few weeks. He attributes the breakdown to stress and bipolar disorder.
Some time after ...Is a Real Boy was released, a set of 8 songs entitled Vs. AIDS Demos were leaked onto the internet by an unknown source. Soon the band told fans that the demos were part of an AIDS benefit album that had been scrapped, and told anyone who had attained them not to distribute them to anyone else (Max Bemis later stated on his website, "that shit sucks," in regard to the demos).
Say Anything signed with J Records (Maroon 5, Alicia Keys), owned by BMG Entertainment, one of the "big four" record labels. Under J Records they re-released ...Is a Real Boy with a bonus disc entitled ...Was a Real Boy containing seven of the eight Vs. AIDS Demos. This album, originally scheduled to be released on October 25th, 2005, was delayed over 4 months to February 28th, 2006. Some copies ended up leaking out through various retailers, notably Tower Records' website. Most leaks occurred due to retailers shipping pre-orders before J-Records had a chance to stop them. Soon copies of the album were selling for over $50 on eBay.
Say Anything released their third album, In Defense of the Genre, under J Records in 2007. Produced by Brad Wood, the album had two discs containing 27 songs, many of them featuring guest appearances by high-profile musicians such as Gerard Way and Hayley Williams.
In November 2009, Say Anything released their fourth full-length studio album, Say Anything. This is the band's first album under RCA Records. It contains 13 tracks, including "Hate Everyone," which was the album's first single.
On August 19, 2010 it was confirmed that Say Anything and RCA Records had parted ways. Soon after (September 29) it was announced via Say Anything's official website that Alex Kent would be leaving the band, and that Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line would be temporarily taking over as bassist for their upcoming tour. As of so far no permanent bassist has been selected to replace Kent.
In December 2012, Bemis announced that drummer Coby Linder, the only other remaining original member of the band, had left Say Anything on amicable terms to pursue other projects.
By Tonight
Say Anything Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got some teeth on that stare.
You've got them tattered blue jeans on.
You've done that thing with your hair.
This bed could use a secret and these pounding hearts could keep it.
If you could, i could, i swear.
You turned me on and i'd like to know if you were trying.
Angel we are so gone.
And you'll see my from the angle that you missed.
You're looking high strung sugar. Why don't you sink a little bit?
Into the sea of sweat our skin can spit.
It was good to keep me guessing because you know i hate attention,
But can we get down to it? Can we get down to it?
Nothing exists but this.
<font size=1>Thanks to <b>Brooke (RogueBassist88@netscape.net)</b> for these lyrics</font>
The lyrics to Say Anything's "By Tonight" paint a vivid picture of an intense, passionate encounter between two people. The singer describes the other person as sharp and high-strung, with a piercing stare and blue jeans that are worn and torn. The two are lying in bed together, and the singer hints at a desire for intimacy, suggesting that "this bed could use a secret." The pounding of their hearts creates a sense of urgency, and the singer acknowledges the sexual attraction between them by saying "you turned me on and I'd like to know if you were trying."
As the song continues, the imagery becomes more intense, and the idea of shedding clothing and releasing inhibitions becomes increasingly central. The singer describes the two of them bursting open the earth by the end of the night, shedding their clothing and exposing themselves to each other in a very intimate way. Despite the intensity of the moment, the singer maintains a sense of detachment, suggesting that "nothing exists but this."
Overall, "By Tonight" is a song about the intense, sometimes overwhelming nature of physical attraction and the desire to connect with another person on a deep level. The lyrics and imagery are vivid and intense, and the song captures the powerful emotions that can arise in the context of a passionate encounter.
Line by Line Meaning
You're looking quite sharp, sugar.
You are looking good today and catching my attention.
You've got some teeth on that stare.
You have a powerful gaze, which is intriguing me.
You've got them tattered blue jeans on.
You have a cool, edgy style that I find attractive.
You've done that thing with your hair.
You have styled your hair in a way that makes me notice you even more.
This bed could use a secret and these pounding hearts could keep it.
We could have an intimate moment together, and our hearts could keep that moment private.
If you could, i could, i swear.
If you are interested in me, I promise to reciprocate those feelings.
You turned me on and i'd like to know if you were trying.
You are making me feel sexually attracted to you, and I am curious if you are doing it intentionally or not.
Angel we are so gone.
I feel like we are both caught up in the moment and swept away by our attraction to each other.
By tonight, the earth bursts open, we shed this clothing
Tonight, we will have a passionate, uninhibited sexual encounter, letting our desires become fully realized.
And you'll see me from the angle that you missed.
During our intimate experience, you will see a side of me that you may not have noticed before.
You're looking high strung sugar. Why don't you sink a little bit?
You seem tense, why don't you let go and relax a bit?
Into the sea of sweat our skin can spit.
As we get physically closer, we will produce a lot of sweat, which is a sign of our physical attraction to each other.
It was good to keep me guessing because you know i hate attention.
It was intriguing to keep me guessing about your feelings, as I don't necessarily crave attention all the time.
But can we get down to it? Can we get down to it?
Can we finally engage in a sexual encounter now that the tension and attraction between us is at its peak?
Nothing exists but this.
At this moment, nothing else in the world matters besides our physical connection and the passionate experience we are about to have.
Contributed by Carter E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.