Throughout the band's existence, the duo toured and recorded with a revolving door of musicians, and as of 2007, the band consisted of guitarists Mike Schey and Mark Buzard, bassist Don Raymond, drummer Adam Boyd, and its principal members, singer Nate Ruess and multi-instrumentalist Sam Means. The band chose their name to make fun of the music industry's inclination towards a cookie-cutter "format" for a hit. Despite this critique of the music industry, the band's aptly-titled first single--"The First Single" (from their five-song debut EP on Western Tread)--became popular in the Southwest music scene. This success led to The Format's signing with Elektra Records in 2002. Their first major label release and full-length album Interventions and Lullabies was released in October 2003. However, Elektra began to fold into a merger just as the album was rolling out its promotion, leaving the band as merely an afterthought as label restructuring began. The band toured North America for about two years while making plans for a new album and waiting out industry red tape.
The Format released a second EP on Atlantic (which had absorbed much of Elektra's roster after the label folded) titled Snails in April 2005. Although the EP was not a conventional mass release, it could be purchased at any of the band's performances, from their online merch store, and on iTunes. Not long after the release of the Snails EP, The Format was dropped from Atlantic. Due to their frustrating experiences with major labels, the band chose to record and release their second full-length album Dog Problems independently on The Vanity Label. The July 11, 2006 release of Dog Problems came two months after the band released the album for download on their website, in a move to combat an early leak.
On February 4, 2008, The Format announced that they will putting the band on hiatus because of creative differences. Nate Ruess already has plans to release a solo album which is scheduled to come out later this year.
Nate Ruess, the band's singer and lyricist, left the following message on the band's website:
"We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we're both upset about it. While we accept there will be false speculation as to why, understand that Sam and I remain extremely close and in fact are still passing the twin peaks box set back and forth in an attempt to figure out who REALLY killed Laura Palmer. We also want to thank everyone with and within the Format, particularly Mike, Don, and Marko, whom without, none of this would have ever even been fully realized. We both suggest you support their musical talents and whatever they decide to do. And lastly we want to thank the fans who made this the best 5 years of our lives."
Ruess announced August 11, 2008 that he is starting a new project called fun. with Andrew Dost formerly of Anathallo and Jack Antonof of Steel Train.
The Vanity Label, an imprint of major label Nettwerk, is managed by the band.
Since the end of The Format, Sam has continued designing merchandise. He converted theformatmerch.com into hellomerch.com where he features his newest work.
On February 4, 2020, the band announced a return from their hiatus for a tour of special shows.
For You
The Format Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With her regards
Oh, barroom eyes shine vacancy
To see her you gotta look hard
Wounded deep in battle
I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted
To her cheshire smile, I'll stand on file
But you let your blue walls get in the way of these facts
Honey, get your carpetbaggers off my back
You wouldn't even give me time to cover my tracks
You're saying, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jack"
But they're not what I came for
And I'm sure you see that, too
I came for you, for you, I came for you
But you did not need my urgency
I came for you, for you, I came for you
But your life was one long emergency
And the cloud line urges me
My electric surges free
Climb into my ambulance
Your pulse is getting weak
Oh, reveal yourself all now to me, girl
While you got the chance to speak
'Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue
With their oxygen masks
I could give it all to you now
If only you could ask
But don't call for your surgeon
Even he says it's too late
It's not your lungs this time
It's your heart that holds your fate
Well don't give me my money, honey
I don't want it back
You and your pony face
And your Union Jack
Well take your local joker
And teach him how to act
'Cause I swore I was never that way
Even when I really cracked
Didn't you think I knew that you were born with the power of a locomotive
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?
And your Chelsea suicide with no apparent motive
You could laugh and cry in a single sound, uh-huh, oh-hoh
And your strength is devastating
In the face of all these odds
Remember how I kept you waiting
When it was my turn to be the god?
You were not quite half too proud
When I found you broken on the beach
Oh, remember how I poured salt on your tongue
And hung just out of reach?
And the band, they played the homecoming theme
As I caressed your cheek
Oh that ragged, jagged melody
She still clings to me like a leech
But that medal you wore on your chest
Always got in your way
Like a little girl without a trophy
So soft to buy her way
We were both hitchhikers
But you had your ear tuned to the roar
Of some metal-tempered engine
On that alien, distant shore
And now you left to find a better reason
Than the one we were living for
And it's not that nursery mouth I came back for
It's not the way you stretched out on the floor
'Cause I've broken all your windows
And I've rammed through all your doors
And who am I to tell you to lick my sore?
And you should see that, too
I came for you, for you, I came for you
But you did not need my urgency
I came for you, for you, I came for you
But your life was one long emergency
And the cloud line urges me
And my electric surges free
The Format’s song “For You” is a raw and emotional ballad that tells the story of a man who will do anything to be with the woman he loves. The opening lines, “Princess cards she sends me with her regards. Oh, barroom eyes shine vacancy. To see her you gotta look hard” paint a vivid picture of a woman who is elusive and hard to reach. The singer is described as a soldier who is wounded deep in battle and is undaunted by his feelings for her.
The second verse brings the focus to the relationship between the two characters. The man explains that the woman’s “blue walls” have gotten in the way of their relationship. He pleads with her to give him a chance, but she brushes him off, saying he’s too urgent. The chorus of “For You” is a repetition of the idea that the singer came for the woman, but she didn’t need his urgency.
The third verse takes a dramatic turn as the singer tells the woman that he could save her life if only she would ask. The final verse is a reflection on the relationship as a whole, with the singer admitting that he has broken all the woman’s windows and rammed through all her doors. In the end, he realizes that what he truly wanted was not her, but the feeling of being needed.
Overall, “For You” is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores the depths of human emotions and the lengths that people will go to for love.
Line by Line Meaning
Princess cards she sends me
She sends me cards as if to say that she's royalty.
With her regards
She sends her greetings along with the cards.
Oh, barroom eyes shine vacancy
Her eyes are dull, as if she's been sitting in a bar all day.
To see her you gotta look hard
You have to pay close attention to notice her, because she blends in.
Wounded deep in battle
He's been hurt deeply in a personal struggle.
I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted
Despite being hurt, he remains unafraid like a brave soldier.
To her cheshire smile, I'll stand on file
He'll wait in line just to see her enigmatic smirk.
She's all I ever wanted
She's his ultimate desire and dream.
But you let your blue walls get in the way of these facts
You create barriers that prevent him from pursuing what he wants.
Honey, get your carpetbaggers off my back
Get your burdens off of him.
You wouldn't even give me time to cover my tracks
You're not willing to let him hide his mistakes or protect himself.
You're saying, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jack"
You're giving him things he doesn't want or need.
But they're not what I came for
He's here for her, not for material possessions.
And I'm sure you see that, too
He knows she understands this fact.
I came for you, for you, I came for you
He's here for her, and no one else.
But you did not need my urgency
She's not interested in his passion or persistence.
But your life was one long emergency
Her life is consumed by chaos and urgency.
And the cloud line urges me
He feels an intense inner calling or impulse.
My electric surges free
He feels an electric energy that he wants to release.
Climb into my ambulance
He wants to save her and take her away from her problems.
Your pulse is getting weak
She's in a vulnerable state and needs help.
Oh, reveal yourself all now to me, girl
He wants her to be honest and open with him.
While you got the chance to speak
He wants her to communicate with him while she still can.
'Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue
The hospital is waiting for her to arrive because she needs help.
With their oxygen masks
She needs help breathing.
I could give it all to you now
He's willing to do whatever it takes to help her.
If only you could ask
He wants her to ask for his help.
But don't call for your surgeon
She shouldn't rely on a medical professional to solve her problems.
Even he says it's too late
It's too late for him to do anything to help her.
It's not your lungs this time
Her physical health isn't the main issue right now.
It's your heart that holds your fate
Her emotional well-being will determine her future.
Well don't give me my money, honey
He doesn't care about getting paid for helping her.
I don't want it back
He doesn't expect anything in return for his assistance.
You and your pony face
She has a plain and unremarkable appearance.
And your Union Jack
She's from England, but it's not significant to him.
Well take your local joker
He doesn't care about the irrelevant people in her life.
And teach him how to act
Make him behave properly.
'Cause I swore I was never that way
He doesn't want to be like those insignificant people in her life.
Even when I really cracked
Even at his lowest point, he tried to remain dignified.
Didn't you think I knew that you were born with the power of a locomotive
He recognizes that she has an incredible inner strength.
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?
She's capable of overcoming great challenges and obstacles.
And your Chelsea suicide with no apparent motive
She had a suicide attempt in the Chelsea neighborhood of London for seemingly no reason.
You could laugh and cry in a single sound, uh-huh, oh-hoh
She had a complex and confusing emotional range.
And your strength is devastating
Her inner strength can be overwhelming.
In the face of all these odds
Despite the obstacles she's faced, she remains strong.
Remember how I kept you waiting
He made her wait for him in the past.
When it was my turn to be the god?
He had the power and control in their relationship at one point.
You were not quite half too proud
She wasn't fully humble or submissive in their relationship.
When I found you broken on the beach
He found her when she was vulnerable and in need of help.
Oh, remember how I poured salt on your tongue
He made things worse for her by criticizing or hurting her in the past.
And hung just out of reach?
He kept a distance from her emotionally or physically.
And the band, they played the homecoming theme
At a time when they were together, he heard a familiar song played by a band.
As I caressed your cheek
He showed affection and care for her.
Oh that ragged, jagged melody
The song was not smooth or polished, but rather rough and rugged.
She still clings to me like a leech
The memory of that moment still lingers within him.
But that medal you wore on your chest
Her accomplishments or awards became a burden for her.
Always got in your way
Her achievements prevented her from pursuing what she really wanted.
Like a little girl without a trophy
She felt inadequate or incomplete without recognition or validation.
So soft to buy her way
She could use money to compensate for her feelings of inadequacy.
We were both hitchhikers
They both were wandering aimlessly without direction or guidance.
But you had your ear tuned to the roar
She was more focused or interested in something else.
Of some metal-tempered engine
She was attracted to the power of technology or machinery.
On that alien, distant shore
Her interests were in a place far removed from their relationship.
And now you left to find a better reason
She's gone to find a better purpose or motivation for her life.
Than the one we were living for
Their relationship was not giving her enough fulfillment or meaning.
And it's not that nursery mouth I came back for
He's not interested in her immature talk or behavior.
It's not the way you stretched out on the floor
He's not intrigued by her casual or submissive posture.
'Cause I've broken all your windows
He's destroyed or damaged something important to her.
And I've rammed through all your doors
He's aggressively forced his way into her life.
And who am I to tell you to lick my sore?
He acknowledges that he doesn't have the right to demand anything from her.
And you should see that, too
He hopes she understands this fact.
I came for you, for you, I came for you
He's here for her, despite everything.
But you did not need my urgency
She doesn't want or need his help, despite his urgency.
But your life was one long emergency
Her life is always in crisis or turmoil.
And the cloud line urges me
He feels a pull to leave and move on.
And my electric surges free
He feels an intense energy building up inside of him.
Contributed by Zachary L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.