The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.
The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."
The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.
I'm Not
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not
First I wake up and not shave
Not a very pretty day
Look at the time
It's time to not go out to work today
I'm not at my best today
Look at the time
It's time to not eat lunch with you today
I'm not fooling when I say
I'm not myself any day
I'm not
In or out or up or down
I'm not
Shutting up or yelling out
I'm not, I'm not
I'm not
I'm not buying nothing new
And I'm not trying nothing new
No one makes me feel
As though it matters what I do
I'm not watching my TV
And I'm not reading magazines
And I'm not missing much
And that ain't hard for me to see
You're not my type but you can stay
That's long enough, now go away
I'm not
In or out or up or down
I'm not
Shutting up or yelling out
I'm not, I'm not, I'm not
I'm not
I'm not
First I wake up and not shave
Not a very pretty day
Look at the time
It's time to not go out to work today
(I'm not) I'm not
(I'm not) I'm not
(I'm not) I'm not
(I'm not) I'm not
The song "I'm Not" by Sparks is a unique and introspective take on apathy and self-discovery. In the first verse, the singer wakes up and decides not to shave, hinting at a lack of concern for his appearance. He notes that it's "not a very pretty day," perhaps suggesting that his mood mirrors the dreary weather. Despite the fact that he has the option to go to work, he decides not to, opting to stay home and opt out of societal obligations. He makes it clear that he's not feeling his best and doesn't want to socialize with others, indicated by him saying "It's time to not eat lunch with you today."
The chorus of the song finds the singer declaring that he's not himself any day, and not conforming to any societal norms or expectations. He's not up or down, not shutting up or yelling out, suggesting that he's not easily categorized or swayed by others. He's simply operating on his own terms, which is made clear by his refrain of "I'm not, I'm not."
The second verse finds the singer continuing to reject mainstream culture, as he's not buying or trying anything new. He feels that no one else's opinion or approval matters, as he states "No one makes me feel as though it matters what I do." He also decides to not watch TV or read magazines, as he feels that he's not missing anything of value. In the final lines of the song, the singer allows someone (presumably a romantic partner) to stay but then abruptly tells them to leave, further emphasizing his independent nature.
Line by Line Meaning
First I wake up and not shave
I choose not to shave in the morning and start my day off in a non-traditional way
Not a very pretty day
The day doesn't seem very promising, and there's not much to look forward to
Look at the time
I check the time to see what I should be doing
It's time to not go out to work today
Instead of going to work, I'm choosing to stay home today
I'm not at my best today
I don't feel like I'm performing my best or giving my best effort today
I'm not getting dressed today
I won't be putting on any clothes or getting ready for the day
It's time to not eat lunch with you today
Instead of having lunch with you like normal, I'm choosing to do something different today
I'm not fooling when I say
I'm being truthful when I say that I'm not myself today or any day
In or out or up or down
No matter which direction you look at it from, I'm just not feeling like myself right now
Shutting up or yelling out
Whether I'm quiet and introverted or loud and extroverted, I'm still not feeling like myself at the moment
I'm not buying nothing new
I don't feel the need to purchase any new items at the moment
And I'm not trying nothing new
I don't feel the need to try anything new or change things up at the moment
No one makes me feel
I'm not affected by the opinions or actions of others around me
As though it matters what I do
It feels like what I do, or don't do, doesn't make a significant difference in the grand scheme of things
I'm not watching my TV
I'm choosing not to watch TV at the moment
And I'm not reading magazines
I'm also choosing not to read magazines at the moment
And I'm not missing much
I don't feel like I'm missing out on much by not watching TV or reading magazines
And that ain't hard for me to see
It's easy for me to realize that I don't need to engage in these activities to enjoy my time
You're not my type but you can stay
You may not be my usual type, but I'm willing to let you stick around for now
That's long enough, now go away
However, it's been long enough and I'm ready for you to leave now
I'm not
I'm just not feeling like myself at the moment
I'm not
No matter how you slice it, I'm just not feeling like my usual self right now
(I'm not) I'm not
This is a repeated chorus, emphasizing the point that I'm just not feeling like myself right now
Contributed by Emily W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.