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.
The Truth Is You Should Lie with Me
Say Anything Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is not the way we procreate
Give me something else than affection
Swollen suffering fantasy of hate
You're a pretty face, you should like me
I want to get used by you
Cause I'm full of hate, just excite me
The murder that marks you everyday
The stain in your soul won't wash away
We spit on the cross just like we're trained
We scowl and screw away the pain
(But I'm up for it if you are handsome
Let's keep that morning star burning)
You're a party boy, you should like me
I want to get used by you
Cause I'm unemployed, just to spite me
I want to get bruised by you
When you burn in hell they remind you
Of all the things you've screwed up in your life
I'll be one of them, if you're inclined to
Turn away from the ever glowing light
All I want is to see through you
If only you were alive I could trust you
But now alone in your bed we'll prove
You do not have to love to be in pain, boo
The truth is, you should lie with me
The lyrics of Say Anything's song "The Truth Is You Should Lie With Me" depict a twisted and painful relationship between two individuals. In the opening lines, the singer catches the other person looking at their own reflection, possibly indicating a level of self-obsession or narcissism. The singer then expresses their desire for something beyond just affection, suggesting a longing for a more intense and destructive form of intimacy.
The chorus reveals the singer's hatred towards themselves and their need for validation through being used and bruised by the other person. The line "We spit on the cross just like we're trained" could be interpreted as a commentary on society's conditioned behavior towards religion and morality, and how they are often disregarded in the pursuit of physical pleasure.
The second verse describes the other person as a party boy and the singer as unemployed, highlighting the contrasting lifestyles of the two individuals. The lines "When you burn in hell they remind you/ Of all the things you've screwed up in your life" suggest the inevitability of consequences for one's actions, with the singer acknowledging that they will most likely be one of the regrets of the other person.
The bridge seems to express the singer's desire for honesty and transparency, but the realization that they cannot trust the other person. The final line "The truth is you should lie with me" could be an ironic statement, implying that lying and deceit are the only way to sustain their destructive relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Caught you looking at my reflection
I noticed you assessing my worth based on my appearance
This is not the way we procreate
Physical attraction alone is not enough to create a meaningful relationship
Give me something else than affection
I want more than just superficial displays of love and desire
Swollen suffering fantasy of hate
I am consumed by a twisted desire for pain and self-destruction
You're a pretty face, you should like me
I am assuming that your beauty makes you shallow and easily swayed by my advances
I want to get used by you
I am willing to be objectified and used for your pleasure
Cause I'm full of hate, just excite me
I am fueled by anger and seek out experiences that trigger intense emotions
I want to get bruised by you
I desire physical pain as a way to mask my emotional turmoil
The murder that marks you everyday
You carry the weight of past regrets and mistakes with you constantly
The stain in your soul won't wash away
You are haunted by internal struggles that you can't escape
We spit on the cross just like we're trained
We reject traditional values and religious beliefs that we were raised with
We scowl and screw away the pain
We engage in reckless behavior as a coping mechanism for our emotional trauma
But I'm up for it if you are handsome
I am attracted to you physically and willing to engage in risky behavior if you are too
Let's keep that morning star burning
Let's continue to engage in acts of passion that are ultimately destructive
You're a party boy, you should like me
I assume that your wild lifestyle makes you interested in someone like me
Cause I'm unemployed, just to spite me
I am resentful of my own lack of success and want to engage in self-destructive behavior as a result
When you burn in hell they remind you
When you face the consequences of your actions, you will regret not heeding my warning
Of all the things you've screwed up in your life
You will be forced to confront the mistakes and regrets that have led you to this point
I'll be one of them, if you're inclined to
I will be one of the people who regrets getting involved with you, if you continue down this path
Turn away from the ever glowing light
Reject the conventional path of righteousness and morality, and embrace a darker path with me
All I want is to see through you
I am consumed by the desire to understand and control you
If only you were alive I could trust you
I am so consumed by anger and pain that I struggle to trust anyone
But now alone in your bed we'll prove
We will engage in intense, destructive behavior that will ultimately lead to a sense of emptiness and loneliness
You do not have to love to be in pain, boo
We can engage in self-destructive behavior and experience the rush of pain and danger without any real love or meaning behind it
The truth is, you should lie with me
I am twisted and destructive, but I am also filled with intense desire and passion. Come with me and let's lose ourselves in this destructive path together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAX BEMIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind