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.
It's a Metaphor Fool
Say Anything Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"It's a metaphor, fool."
Sixteen names on my list
but none of them could ever get me high like this.
(YEAH!!!)
Got your scars in my wrist,
you're safe inside my fist.
(Now let the fun begin! Sing!)
All you are to me is dead skin,
flaking off my hand onto the pavement.
All you are to me is dead skin,
breakin' up my band won't bring you payment.
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (We told your mother)
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (I told your mother)
So here's the plan,
you're giving in to every sick demand.
Buying the band our own apartment.
Here is your past:
flashing forward out to whip your ass,
into the form adorn when you were born.
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (We told your mother)
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (I told your mother)
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead skin.
(Come on!)
All you are to me is dead,
Sixteen bullets split your head,
All you are to me is dead skin.
(Go! Go! Go!)
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead skin.
All you are to me is dead,
Sixteen bullets split your head,
All you are to me is dead skin.
The title of Say Anything’s song “It’s a Metaphor, Fool” is a hint at the underlying meaning of the lyrics. The song touches on the theme of relationships and how they can feel like a drug—one that can be addictive but ultimately destructive. The first lines of the song, “Sixteen names on my list but none of them could ever get me high like this,” indicate that the singer is addicted to a person rather than to drugs. The “scars in my wrist” and “safe inside my fist” point to an abusive relationship, in which the person is both a source of pain and a source of comfort.
The chorus, “All you are to me is dead skin,” speaks to the emptiness and futility of the relationship. The imagery of dead skin flaking off the singer’s hand and breaking up the band highlights the toxic nature of the relationship and how it’s affecting other aspects of their life. The lines “Here is your past: flashing forward out to whip your ass, into the form adorn when you were born,” suggest that the person is stuck in their past, unable to move on and grow as a person. The repetition of “Love like no other” and “We told your mother” in the chorus indicates that the relationship is intense and perhaps even obsessive, leading to others becoming involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Sixteen names on my list but none of them could ever get me high like this. (YEAH!!!) Got your scars in my wrist, you're safe inside my fist.
I have sought after many things, but nothing can compare to the way you make me feel. I have your pain on my own body, and I will protect you no matter what.
All you are to me is dead skin, flaking off my hand onto the pavement.
You have no value to me and you are easily discarded.
All you are to me is dead skin, breakin' up my band won't bring you payment.
You may try to ruin my career, but it will not benefit you in any way. You are still worthless to me.
So here's the plan, you're giving in to every sick demand. Buying the band our own apartment. Here is your past: flashing forward out to whip your ass, into the form adorn when you were born.
I have manipulated you into doing everything I want, including buying our band an apartment. Your past mistakes will come back to haunt you and I will make sure you pay for them.
All you are to me is dead, All you are to me is dead, All you are to me is dead skin.
You are nothing to me and I want nothing to do with you.
All you are to me is dead, Sixteen bullets split your head, All you are to me is dead skin.
You deserve to die and I wish you were no longer alive. You are still nothing to me but dead skin.
Contributed by Kaylee K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@LasaterX29
This song is called,
"It's a metaphor, fool."
Sixteen names on my list
but none of them could ever get me hot like this.
(YEAH!!!)
Got your scars on my wrist,
you're safe inside my fist.
(Now let the fun begin! Sing!)
All you are to me is dead skin,
flaking off my hand onto the pavement.
All you are to me is dead skin,
breakin' up my band won't bring you payment.
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (We told your mother)
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (We told your mother)
So here's the plan,
you're giving in to every sick demand.
Buying the band our own apartment.
Here is your past:
flashing forward out to whip your ass,
into the form adorn when you were born.
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (We told your mother)
Woah! (Love like no other)
Woah! (We told your mother, baby boy)
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead skin.
(Come on!)
All you are to me is dead,
Sixteen bullets split your head,
All you are to me is dead skin.
(Go! Go! Go!)
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead,
All you are to me is dead skin.
All you are to me is dead,
Sixteen bullets split your head,
All you are to me is dead skin.
@Squeege85
Regardless of what you think of the genre. This band is underrated as hell. Way better than they're getting credit for.
@hadore152
i cannot help but smile and kinda chuckle as i listen to them. They're like no other band i've ever experienced
@charlesalexander560
2019 and its like i went from 27 to 17. Time flies....It's a Metaphor Fool.
@theheebs100
34 here. Say Anything doesn't resonate with me the way it once did, but I still love listening to them. the irreverent embrace of madness still stirs up memories of younger years and seems a crystallized version of the genre at its best.
@Ziammacee
became the hero of my sixth grade class when we learned figurative language, i was the only one who knew difference between similie and metaphors thanks to this band, now all those years later i have to repeat the ritual cause im learning it in french , cool
@Emilytigerkitty
its a metaphor hazel grace
@NeonGreenGumball
I agree, this band is totally underrated. Just because they're signed doesn't mean anything, not many people I know listen to them and most people don't even know who they are. They're not constantly talked about on social networking sites or among my friends or classmates. I love these guys so much and I can't wait to see them live<3
@MrUtedude18
By far one of his best songs ever. When I saw them on tour, I was so happy when they sung this.
@livetoskate111
Max Beamis is incredible.
@bigndirk
One of my favorites