Menswear
The 1975 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's dressed in white and putting off crying
"Well you're the best man, so what's the plan?
Why don't you talk to Matty about it?"
I said, "I only brought three like I told you before
We're gonna have to ask about"
Free bar, that's the point
I'm sitting with a girl, fortunate placing
Preceding railing racket off a porcelain basin
And who's he? Giving you the lips?
I've never seen him knockin' about
He looks just like me, but six foot three
So I reckon you could knock him out
"Well, I think I'll say a couple of words if you don't mind
I never really got on with your bird the first time
I met her out, dressed in nowt
Tellin' everybody you were shagging about"
Well, who's this? Going for the kiss
I'm probably gonna yosh in your mouth
Because it's five past three, I can hardly see
And I'm on the verge of passing out
The lyrics of The 1975's song Menswear paint a vivid picture of a chaotic and alcohol-fueled wedding reception. The first verse captures a confrontational dialogue between a groom and a member of the bridal party over the availability of suits, while the second verse describes the singer's drunken state and his observations of various guests engaging in questionable behavior.
The repetition of the line “Well, I only brought three, what you lookin' at me for?” suggests a tense situation where the groom is being blamed for a shortage of suits. The bride is depicted as being on the verge of tears while the groom tries to diffuse the situation by suggesting that his friend, Matty, might have a solution. The sarcastic response of “We’re gonna have to ask about” implies that the groom is feeling frustrated with the unfolding chaos of his wedding day.
The second verse focuses on the singer's experiences at the reception, painting a vivid and somewhat grotesque picture of a party in full swing. The singer seems to be somewhat detached from the events going on around him, possibly due to the influence of drugs and alcohol. The image of "railing racket off a porcelain basin" suggests that the singer is feeling sick and disoriented, while the final line of the song implies that he is about to pass out.
In summary, Menswear is a song that captures the chaotic nature of a wedding reception, depicting the confusion and drunkenness of the guests while offering a glimpse into the psyche of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I only brought three, what you lookin' at me for?
I don't have any extra cigarettes, why are you staring at me?
She's dressed in white and putting off crying
She's wearing white and trying not to cry
Well you're the best man, so what's the plan? Why don't you talk to Matty about it?
You're the best man, so come up with a plan. Why not talk to Matty?
I said, "I only brought three like I told you before We're gonna have to ask about"
I already told you that I only brought three. We'll have to ask someone else for more.
Free bar, that's the point Spilling Amaretto 'cause of previous joints
The free bar is the reason for drinking and accidentally spilling Amaretto due to prior drug use.
I'm sitting with a girl, fortunate placing Preceding railing racket off a porcelain basin
I'm lucky to be sitting next to a girl, who is about to throw up in the bathroom.
And who's he? Giving you the lips? I've never seen him knockin' about. He looks just like me, but six foot three. So I reckon you could knock him out
Who is that guy kissing you? I've never seen him around. He looks like me, but taller. So you could probably beat him up.
Well, I think I'll say a couple of words if you don't mind. I never really got on with your bird the first time. I met her out, dressed in nowt. Tellin' everybody you were shagging about
I have something to say if you don't object. I didn't get along with your girlfriend when I met her the first time. She was dressed inappropriately and telling everyone that you were cheating.
Well, who's this? Going for the kiss. I'm probably gonna yosh in your mouth. Because it's five past three, I can hardly see. And I'm on the verge of passing out
Who is this person trying to kiss me? I might throw up in your mouth. It's 5:05am and I'm very drunk and about to pass out.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ROSS STEWART MACDONALD, ADAM BRIAN THOMAS HANN, GEORGE BEDFORD DANIEL, MATTHEW TIMOTHY HEALY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
koma
Well I only brought three, what you lookin' at me for?
She's dressed in white and putting off crying
Well you're the best man, so what's the plan?
Why don't you talk to Matty about it?
I said, I only brought three like I told you before
We're gonna have to ask about
Free bar, that's the point
Spilling Amaretto 'cause of previous joints
I'm sitting with a girl, fortunate placing
Preceding railing racket off a porcelain basin
Who's he? Giving it the lips?
I've never seen him knockin' about
He looks just like me, but six foot three
So I reckon you could knock him out
Well, I think I'll say a couple of words if you don't mind
I never really got on with your bird the first time
I met her out, dressed in nowt, telling everybody you were shagging about
Well, who's this?
Going for the kiss
I'm probably gonna yosh in your mouth
Because it's five-oh-three, I can hardly see and I'm on the verge of passing out
✧ gen ✧
this era, no doubt, is probably the best 1975 era, it was their "i do not give a fuck" days and people could relate to that a lot and i feel like this album brought people closer because it generally depicts a message of self-destruction, and self-hatred, this album collapsed an era of where teens were self-harming and doing every single thing in their power to bring harm to themselves. i feel like it closed a chapter of pain amongst the youth
Gabí
That comment is fucking beautiful and soo true
Summer Holiday
Well said.
juju
i love them for this reason and no one understands it but you definitely do ❤️.
Innes McLellan
Amadeus Diamond agreed, that new album they have out is pish.
w/e
@Amadeus Diamond Holy shit how are you that delusional? Are you just not even listening or are you faken schewpid?
moe perry
Man, I look back on this era of The 1975 so fondly but sadly. The band was just small enough that you could see them selling out 300+ person venues, and they were on the rise. I miss seeing them in small settings like this. The chance of me ever going to their shows anymore is slim to none, because their fan base is crazy (and totally warranted to be so, they are unreal). Their music during this time had the most unbelievably raw passion and emotion in the lyrics and playing, but I think this was because it was a time of extreme hurt for Matty. A real struggling artist in flesh and blood, pouring his heart and soul out on stage. I remember he came the Boston and it was the last show of their tour and he broke down crying at nearly every song, with red wine in hand, begging to go home. The screaming fans not giving a flying fuck about Matty's well being, just enjoying the aesthetics of his demise. I am so proud and happy to see how far they and Matty have come as artists, musicians, and people. This band will forever be a band full of our generation, and I band I will always support in any way I know-how.
poly800rock
this obviously is not that stage in the band considering the amount of people in the crowd.
olive
miss this era all you want but don’t lie it’s nice to see matty healthier and happier
Malu
couldnt agree more