In 2002, Something Corporate released their debut major label album, Leaving Through the Window, which hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.
During the Summer of 2004, the band was growing exhausted from spending years on the road, and they decided to take a break. During the hiatus, guitarist Josh Partington formed the band Firescape and recorded the five song EP Rearden's Conscience in 2005. Lead singer and pianist Andrew McMahon, on the other hand, released a solo album Everything in Transit under the name Jack's Mannequin. The day he finished recording, McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. On August 23, the day the record was released, he underwent a bone marrow transplant.
In the year 2006 the band considers themselves to still be on a break but they're coming back this year! (2009) Andrew is still pursuing Jack's Mannequin and Josh is still playing with Firescape. Brian Ireland (the bands drummer) has played with William Tell (ex SoCo member) and is the current drummer for the band Streamline. Bassist Kevin 'Clutch' Page manages the band Get Back Loretta.
On October 14, 2006, at the Bamboozle Left festival in Pomona, California, Something Corporate reunited as the "special guest" to play three songs: 'Konstantine', 'I Woke Up in a Car', and 'Hurricane'.
Aside from consistant popularity, SC continues to contribute to their community by playing free shows; most notably their packed houses in Berkeley, California.
On December 3, 2009 it was announced on AbsolutePunk.net that they would be playing the Bamboozle Left Festival in March 2010.
Years active: 1998 - 2006, 2009 - present
Associated with: Jack's Mannequin, Firescape
Former Members: William Tell (rhythm guitar/backing vocals), Reuben Hernandez (rhythm guitar)
Not What It Seems
Something Corporate Lyrics
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If ever these questions were yours what would you say?
I don't know
But I'm writing the answers on cheap paper napkins
And now he's turning off
And now she's shutting down
It's not what it seems
No, it's not what it seems
It's just what you think it is
And these fights
They climb through my veins like it's mercury rising
And these nights
I seem to remember a home that was better
And now he's turning off
And now she's shutting down
It's not what it seems
Nothing's the same when you give it away
No, it's not what it seems
It's just what you think it is
Now he's turning off
The family is breaking down
It's not what it seems
Nothing's the same when you give it away
No, it's not what it seems
It's just what you think it is
It's just what you think it is
The lyrics to Something Corporate's song Not What It Seems describe the feeling of being lost and uncertain. The singer is faced with questions and problems that they don't know how to answer or solve. They write their thoughts down on cheap paper napkins, highlighting their desperation and lack of direction. The lines "And now he's turning off, and now she's shutting down" suggest that the singer's relationships are faltering or coming to an end.
The chorus is a repetition of the line "It's not what it seems", which emphasizes the theme of confusion and misunderstandings. Nothing is as it appears, and things change when given away. The lines "And these fights, they climb through my veins like it's mercury rising" describe the intensity of the problems the singer is facing. The word "fights" suggests conflict, and "mercury rising" emphasizes the severity of the situation.
The final lines "Now he's turning off, the family is breaking down" suggest that the "he" in question is a father figure or a head of the family. The breakdown of the family is a significant and distressing event, which the singer feels helpless to prevent.
Overall, the lyrics of Not What It Seems describe the feeling of being lost, overwhelmed, and uncertain. The repetition of the phrase "It's not what it seems" emphasizes the theme of misunderstanding and the difficulty of finding solid ground in a chaotic world.
Line by Line Meaning
A long day
The singer has had a tiring day.
If ever these questions were yours what would you say?
The singer is asking what someone else would do in a certain situation.
I don't know
The singer doesn't have an answer to the question posed in the previous line.
But I'm writing the answers on cheap paper napkins
The artist is inventing answers to the previous question and writing them down on cheap napkins instead of honestly answering.
And now he's turning off
Someone is ending a relationship or communication.
And now she's shutting down
Someone is becoming emotionally distant or unresponsive.
It's not what it seems
Things aren't as straightforward as they appear.
Nothing's the same when you give it away
When you give something away, you lose something and things will never be the same.
No, it's not what it seems
Similar to the previous instance, things are not as they appear.
It's just what you think it is
The truth of the situation is what you make of it.
And these fights
The singer is referring to arguments or disagreements.
They climb through my veins like it's mercury rising
The artist feels strongly about the argument, and it has an impact on them as if their blood was boiling, similar to the effects of mercury rising.
And these nights
The singer is reminiscing about past experiences.
I seem to remember a home that was better
The singer thinks back on a time when they felt happier and more at home.
The family is breaking down
The singer is experiencing familial issues that are causing them distress.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDREW ROSS MCMAHON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind