The band released their first EP, I'm Sorry... in January 2013, where their single Sweater Weather reached #1 in the U.S. Alternative Tracks and #8 on the U.S. Rock Tracks and #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted at #68 in Canada. Their first album, I Love You. was released on April 23, 2013.
In early 2012 a mysterious band appeared online. The group, The Neighbourhood, revealed no biographical information, no photos and no backstory, offering only a moody track titled "Female Robbery." Fans and the press were confounded, scouring the Internet for any information that might lead them to the identity of these musicians. Pieces of the puzzle, some reflecting reality and some not so much, began to emerge. The Neighbourhood were a quintet. They were from California despite the British spelling of their name. They had a second track, "Sweater Weather," which had an accompanying -- and equally dark -- video.
Although The Neighbourhood's identity remained hazy, it became clear that the music they were making felt transformative to critics and fans alike. The evocative combination of rock instruments with R&B and hip-hop aesthetics seemed, in many ways, revelatory, a reimagining of sounds that seemed to make people clamour for more information with even greater fervour. In April, BBC Radio One DJ Zane Lowe, an early champion of the group, let it slip that The Neighbourhood was the handiwork of musician Jesse Rutherford, a resident of Newbury Park, CA. By early May, as the band unveiled a free, self-released EP titled "I'm Sorry," it became understood that the identity of this young band was, ultimately, secondary to the music itself.
So who is The Neighbourhood? In essence, the group, which was formed in August 2011, is a collection of five friends who make music together. They're headed by Rutherford, a 21-year-old singer who has dabbled in various genres, including hip-hop, before crafting the merge of sounds that categorizes The Neighbourhood's style. Their debut EP was produced by Justyn Pilbrow, who brought Emile Haynie on board to collaborate on "Female Robbery." The EP, recorded at the end of last year, is composed of shadowy, emotional music with visuals to match. And it's all part of the band's master plan.
"I always have a strong vision before I go into anything," Rutherford says. "I don't know how to make music any other way. It was all in my head, and that vision for the music was to make hip-hop beats with guitars and I was going to sing and rap over them. We wanted to do that hip-hop aesthetic on an indie platform."
"I'm Sorry," a five-song disc, is a precursor to the band's debut album, which is also being produced by Pilbrow and Haynie. The album, expected out in March 2013, will expand the group's moody sensibility, which pairs brooding layers of instrumentals with Rutherford's hip-hop-inspired croon. The style, which the band has dubbed "black and white" due to its confident inspirations, is based largely on rhythm, as evidenced by the EP. "When I started in music I started doing drums and then I started doing vocals," Rutherford explains. "And then I combined the two together because to me rapping is just rhythmic vocals. I think the rhythm of hip-hop is really what got me into it. It's not just words being said; it's about how the words are said."
In the end, all you need to know about The Neighbourhood is in that music and in those words. There are more facts, more pieces of the puzzle, more information to unveil. But what's the fun in being given the full picture when you can slowly discover it for yourself? It's better to leave some mystery lingering. Because, after all, it's that unknowing that brought The Neighbourhood to people's attention to begin with.
Afraid
The Neighbourhood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
Make that money, fake that bunny, ache my tummy
On the fence, all the time
Paint junk honey, your face so sunny, ain't that funny?
All my friends always lie to me
I know they're thinking
You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you anyway
You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs
It hurts but I won't fight you
You suck anyway
You make me wanna die, right when I
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might end up being me
Keep on dreaming, don't stop breathing, fight those demons
And sell your soul, not your whole self, oh
If they see it when you're sleeping, make them leave it
I can't even see if it's all there anymore, so
You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you anyway
You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs
It hurts but I won't fight you
You suck anyway
You make me wanna die, right when I
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might end up being me
Being me can only mean
Feeling scared to breathe
If you leave me then I'll be afraid of everything
That makes me anxious, gives me patience, calms me down
Lets me face this, let me sleep, and when I wake up
Let me be
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
When I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might end up being me
The Neighbourhood's song "Afraid" talks about the fear of losing oneself, both literally and metaphorically. The song opens with the lines, "I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place." This fear of being replaced is also echoed in the chorus, where the same line is repeated four times. The fear of losing oneself is also highlighted in the final verse where the singer says, "Being me can only mean feeling scared to breathe. If you leave me then I'll be afraid of everything."
The lyrics of "Afraid" also touch upon the idea of faking it until you make it in order to attain success. In the second verse, the singer says, "Make that money, fake that bunny, ache my tummy. On the fence, all the time. Paint junk honey, your face so sunny, ain't that funny?" The lines talk about putting on a façade in order to make it big, but behind the scenes, reality is quite different. The singer's friends are also shown to be disloyal in the same verse, where the lines "All my friends always lie to me. I know they're thinking, 'You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you, anyway,'" suggest that they are only pretending to support the singer.
The overall theme of "Afraid" is one of existential dread and the fear of losing oneself. The song describes the struggle to maintain one's identity and the uncertainty that comes with it. It also explores the idea that one's closest friends and confidants may not always be loyal and honest. What makes the song particularly poignant is the way it captures the angst and anxiety of being human in a rapidly changing world.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up, I'm afraid somebody else might take my place
I fear that someone else might take over my life or succeed where I fail.
Make that money, fake that bunny, ache my tummy
Trying to make money by doing things that don't feel right, making my stomach hurt.
On the fence, all the time
I'm indecisive and unsure of what to do.
Paint junk honey, your face so sunny, ain't that funny?
Putting on a façade and pretending everything is okay, even when it's not.
All my friends always lie to me
My friends aren't honest with me.
You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you anyway
Someone is being rude and mean to me, and I don't want anything to do with them.
You make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs
This person is frustrating me to the point where I want to scream.
It hurts but I won't fight you
This person is hurting me, but I don't want to get into a physical altercation with them.
You suck anyway
This person is terrible and not worth my time.
You make me wanna die, right when I
This person's actions are making me want to harm myself.
Keep on dreaming, don't stop breathing, fight those demons
Continue to have goals and aspirations, keep going even when it's difficult, and battle your inner demons.
And sell your soul, not your whole self, oh
Giving up a part of yourself is okay, but don't give away everything.
If they see it when you're sleeping, make them leave it
If someone takes advantage of you when you're vulnerable, make them stop.
I can't even see if it's all there anymore, so
I'm not even sure if I have anything left in me to give.
Being me can only mean
Being myself is the only thing I can do.
Feeling scared to breathe
I'm so scared that I can't even breathe.
If you leave me then I'll be afraid of everything
If someone close to me leaves, I'll be afraid of everything and everyone else.
That makes me anxious, gives me patience, calms me down
The things that make me anxious can also help me be patient and calm.
Lets me face this, let me sleep, and when I wake up
I need to face my problems head-on, and when I go to sleep, let me rest and recharge so I can tackle them again tomorrow.
Let me be
Let me be myself and make my own decisions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jeremy Freedman, Zachary Abels, Bryan Sammis, Jesse Rutherford, Mike Margott, Emile Haynie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mag L
All I am is a man
I want the world in my hands
I hate the beach
But I stand in California with my toes in the sand
Use the sleeves of my sweater
Let's have an adventure
Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered
Touch my neck and I'll touch yours
You in those little high waisted shorts, oh
She knows what I think about
And what I think about
One love, two mouths
One love, one house
No shirt, no blouse
Just us, you find out
Nothing that wouldn't wanna tell you about no
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
And if I may just take your breath away
I don't mind if there's not much to say
Sometimes the silence guides our minds to
So move to a place so far away
The goosebumps start to raise
The minute that my left hand meets your waist
And then I watch your face
Put my finger on your tongue
'Cause you love the taste yeah
These hearts adore,
Every other beat the other one beats for
Inside this place is warm
Outside it starts to pour
Coming down
One love, two mouths
One love, one house
No shirt, no blouse
Just us, you find out
Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about, no no
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here
And now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
Whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
It's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
It's too cold,
It's too cold
The holes of my sweater
zhri znl
All I am is a man
I want this world right in my hands
I hate the beach, but I stand in California
With my toes in the sand
Grab the sleeves of my sweater
Let's have an adventure
Head's in the clouds but my gravity's centered
Touch my neck, I'll touch yours
You in those little high waisted shorts, mmm
[Pre-Chorus]
She knows what I think about
And what I think about
One love, two mouths
One love, one house
No shirt, no blouse
Just us, you find out
Nothing, nothing
[Chorus]
'Cause it's too cold
For you here
And now
So let me hold
Both your hands in the holes
Ayesh
This is the best version, in my opinion
Juan Vargas
+Khaleesi fuckyeah.
Kitana Khan
A H YES THANK YOU
Kamil Zarzycki
Yes!
21_C1oud
Yeah but Sadly not on Apple Music so it can’t go in my playlist
Aden Owsley
I like it live better but I like this one a lot too
TheSowut
The most emotional version of the song you'll be able to ever find.
So damn good.
Clarisse Guevarra
I freaking love the sound of the ending, I never caught it until the first time I listened to this version through headphones
saul
+Clarisse Guevarra same here, i fucking loved jesse´s voice , it is soooo calm down
Mag L
All I am is a man
I want the world in my hands
I hate the beach
But I stand in California with my toes in the sand
Use the sleeves of my sweater
Let's have an adventure
Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered
Touch my neck and I'll touch yours
You in those little high waisted shorts, oh
She knows what I think about
And what I think about
One love, two mouths
One love, one house
No shirt, no blouse
Just us, you find out
Nothing that wouldn't wanna tell you about no
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
And if I may just take your breath away
I don't mind if there's not much to say
Sometimes the silence guides our minds to
So move to a place so far away
The goosebumps start to raise
The minute that my left hand meets your waist
And then I watch your face
Put my finger on your tongue
'Cause you love the taste yeah
These hearts adore,
Every other beat the other one beats for
Inside this place is warm
Outside it starts to pour
Coming down
One love, two mouths
One love, one house
No shirt, no blouse
Just us, you find out
Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about, no no
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here
And now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
Whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, whoa
'Cause it's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
It's too cold whoa
For you here and now
So let me hold whoa
Both your hands in the holes of my sweater
It's too cold,
It's too cold
The holes of my sweater