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.
Pick Me Up
The Format Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're gonna walk backwards
Through the room
Does that mean I won't see you?
It means you walk backwards
Through the room
Tiffany's crying
I just laugh
'Cause it was my job to be her help
but I'm in my bedroom
I found me a corner
Where friends won't debate my health
Like "how can he save some summer night,
When he can't save himself"
You've got to pick me up
C'mon and pick me up
When I'm falling down
You've got to pick me up
Cut to December
How can a scalpel tear into skin
Revealing walks in the park
Lord how can a heart
Come from two seperate organs
And you're gonna make this simple
Do you want to make me sweeter?
I know, I know, I know, I know
I'll let you down
I'll let you down
Precriptions scripting a timeline
Swing sets, gradde schools, and black eyes
Firts love, heartbreak and true love, Mistakes, heartbreak and true love
The Format's song "Pick Me Up" has a somber melody that becomes more depressing as the lyrics are unfolded. The first stanza speaks of someone who is moving backwards through a room, always visible yet never present. It seems like a metaphor for feeling like they're losing the person they love, and that person is fading out of their life. The next verse has a different perspective, with the singer's struggle with depression taking center stage. He's so low that he's hidden in his bedroom corner, keeping away from people who might ask questions. The singer also feels like he's letting people down, including a lady named Tiffany who's trying to escape her own hell. This is a poignant reflection on the cyclical nature of disconnection and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
And you
The singer is addressing someone in particular
You're gonna walk backwards
The person being addressed will move in a reverse direction
Through the room
This movement will occur in a particular area
Does that mean I won't see you?
The artist is inquiring about visibility in the stated situation
It means you walk backwards
The person walking backwards will be visible from the opposite direction
Through the room
This movement will occur in a particular area
Tiffany's crying
A character named Tiffany is emotional
She's dying to make it out of this hell
Tiffany desires to escape from a negative situation or environment
I just laugh
The artist has a contrasting emotional response to Tiffany's situation
'Cause it was my job to be her help
The artist had a role in assisting Tiffany but is now detached
but I'm in my bedroom
The singer is located in a specific room in their dwelling
I found me a corner
The artist located a particular spot within their room
Where friends won't debate my health
The singer seeks privacy and solitude to avoid discussing their wellbeing with others
Like "how can he save some summer night,
The singer references a hypothetical situation being questioned by unknown people
When he can't save himself"
The question poses a paradox as the person being saved is not able to save themselves
You've got to pick me up
The artist instructs someone to support them
C'mon and pick me up
The artist urges for this support to be given immediately
When I'm falling down
The support is needed in a moment of despair
You've got to pick me up
The request for support is repeated
Cut to December
The artist changes the topic to another time
How can a scalpel tear into skin
The artist uses a surgical instrument as a metaphor to illustrate physical pain
Revealing walks in the park
The pain reveals a nostalgic memory of a pleasant walk
Lord how can a heart
The singer shifts back to the theme of physical pain
Come from two separate organs
The artist acknowledges the anatomical origin of heartache
And you're gonna make this simple
The singer directs the conversation to the person they are addressing
Do you want to make me sweeter?
The singer is inquiring about a desire to change their personality
I know, I know, I know, I know
The singer repeats the phrase for emphasis
I'll let you down
The artist acknowledges a past failure
I'll let you down
The past failure is repeated
Prescriptions scripting a timeline
The singer employs a medical reference to indicate a predetermined schedule
Swing sets, grade schools, and black eyes
The singer lists varied memories of childhood
First love, heartbreak and true love,
The artist reflects on the progression of romantic relationships
Mistakes, heartbreak and true love
The artist acknowledges elements of bitterness and sentimentality in relationships
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind