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.
Spidersong
Say Anything Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have made them before and broken them.
Give me the ‘go ahead' and I'll undress myself for you,
If you're at all interested now
I'm growing legs
I'm the spider
I'm the spider
I crawl inside her
Oh I know your pain.
You, like I, plagued by the flies inside your brain.
Oh I'm creeping up your veins.
Are you smart enough and small enough to play this game?
I'm growing legs
I'm the spider
I'm the spider
I crawl inside her
I'm the whoa
I better watch my back around you.
You've got the movies, the shoes, the do
You've got me oh no, no, no
And I want you to know I want to.
You've got those tired eyes all the time.
Yeah, you need someone to bring you to bed.
I'm growing legs
I'm the spider
I am cold,
Too cool to call you,
Far too stoned to leave my bed.
I'll write this song to win your kiss
But stay asleep instead.
The opening lines of "No more promises; I have made them before and broken them" suggest a willingness to engage in a relationship without offering any false hopes. The following line indicates the singer's readiness to get intimate with their lover who is now interested in them. The spider metaphor reoccurs throughout the song, as the singer compares themselves to a spider creeping up on their lover. The spider represents desire, which crawls inside the woman, indicating a sexual desire. The spider also symbolizes the singer's need to capture someone, but it also implies an indirect, obscure approach to the goal.
The lines "Are you smart enough and small enough to play this game?" suggest that the singer has a specific mindset while pursuing a lover. He is looking for someone perceptive and intelligent enough to engage in their dangerous romance, which is compared to a game. By the end of the song, the singer acknowledges their own inability to commit to a relationship due to their self-destructive behavior. The closing lines, "I am cold, too cool to call you, far too stoned to leave my bed... But stay asleep instead," give us an insight into the singer's self-awareness of his commitment issues and the realization that he cannot offer much more.
Line by Line Meaning
No more promises.
I can't make any more promises because I have made them in the past and have broken them, so I can't be trusted.
I have made them before and broken them.
I have made promises before, but I have failed to keep them.
Give me the ‘go ahead' and I'll undress myself for you, If you're at all interested now.
If you give me permission, I will take my clothes off for you if you are interested in me.
I'm growing legs I'm the spider I'm the spider I crawl inside her I'm the…hey
I am growing stronger and more confident, like a spider with many legs. I am like a spider who crawls inside someone else to get close to them.
Oh I know your pain. You, like I, plagued by the flies inside your brain.
I understand the pain you are going through because I too have experienced it. We are both tormented by our own thoughts and emotions like flies in our brains.
Oh I'm creeping up your veins. Are you smart enough and small enough to play this game?
I am getting closer to you, penetrating your thoughts and emotions. Do you have the intelligence and emotional capacity to handle a relationship with me?
I better watch my back around you. You've got the movies, the shoes, the do. You've got me oh no, no, no. And I want you to know I want to.
I need to be careful around you because you have power and influence over me because of your lifestyle, appearance, and personality. I am attracted to you, and I want you to know that.
You've got those tired eyes all the time. Yeah, you need someone to bring you to bed.
You look exhausted and unhappy all the time; you need someone like me to take care of you and give you comfort and rest.
I am cold, Too cool to call you, Far too stoned to leave my bed. I'll write this song to win your kiss But stay asleep instead.
I am distant and disconnected from you, too indifferent to even contact you, and too drugged up to function normally. I will write a song expressing my love for you, but I won't have the courage to actually make a move.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAX BEMIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind